


Experiencing Humanity

by Alazan



Category: Teen Wolf (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alcohol, Alive Hale Family, Alpha Laura Hale, BAMF Stiles, Derek and Scott are Cousins, Derek and Stiles are Childhood Friends, Derek and Stiles are closer in age, Drug Use, Erica Reyes & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Minor Erica Reyes/Stiles Stilinski, Minor Stiles Stilinski/Original Female Character(s), Minor Stiles Stilinski/Vicki Donovan, Pack Dynamics, Scott McCall is a Hale, Scott McCall is a born wolf, Sexual Content, Slash, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Tattoos, Vampires, Warning: Kate Argent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2018-04-20 05:27:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4775372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alazan/pseuds/Alazan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Look Derek, Stiles is someone I'm considering as a candidate. And I will talk to him and make my case. If he accepts it, then he accepts it. If not, then there is nothing more than I can do other than try to be the friends he needs...like you should have been. But I am NOT biting him without his consent!" Laura said sternly.</p>
<p>"But Laura!"</p>
<p>"Becoming a wolf is a serious, life long, commitment. Not some quick fix to make it so Stiles quits drinking and taking drugs. Derek's, his mother died! He's grieving! I know it's not healthy, but it's normal!"<br/>-<br/>Or...</p>
<p>Stiles and Derek are closer in age and their families have been friends for a long time. Derek and Stiles used to be close friends until Derek started high school and his reputation became everything. Claudia dies when Stiles is a freshman and the Sheriff keeps it under wraps as best as he can, so Derek doesn't find out until later when it becomes public.</p>
<p>By then...Stiles has fallen into the wrong crowd. Sex, drugs, drinking...oddly enough it's not destructive. Stiles becomes a cool kid on his own terms. Derek's just having a hard time because for so long Stiles idolized him. Now...Stiles doesn't need him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The Hales are alive. Talia is their main Alpha, but Laura's inherited the True Alpha gene when she turned 18. To form her own pack, she looks at candidates around her age or anyone she deems worthy. That's how Isaac, Erica, and Boyd will become wolves. They're the teenage wolves that will be part of Laura's pack, but because she's still living in Hale territory,they still all answer to Talia...it's like...the Hales are the royal family, and Laura and other Alpha Hales are the nobles, lords and ladies that help rule the land, but still answer to the crown.

"What's wrong my little hummingbird?" Claudia asked as Stiles removed his backpack and sat down next to her bed. 

He sighed and shook his head, reaching out for her hand and lifting it up to his lips to kiss it. "Nothing mom. Just high school."

"It's more than that. Tell me." she insisted and smiled in a way that Stiles could never refuse. 

She was weak and small now. The most tired Stiles has ever seen it. His ever logical mind is telling him that _soon_ , but he fights the tears away and holds on to her hand a bit tighter.

"It's Derek...I...I just miss him." Stiles said.

"You see him every day." Claudia pointed out, silently probing Stiles to add more.

He kisses her hand again. "But it's not the same. We used to be friends. Play all the time. Call each other for the most mundane reasons. He's only a year and a half older than me but now it's like..." Stiles thinks of how to describe it. "When we're at the Hale house he's like always...if a little moody. But anywhere else he acts like...I don't exist. Or if I'm like a burden. I just...I thought we were real friends." Stiles mumbled sadly. 

Claudia reached up and cupped her son's face. "You are."

"Doesn't feel like it..."

"High school is a very difficult time. It's the time when a person grows out of the likes and dislikes their parents set on them and begin to figure things out for themselves. It's full of pressure and other confusing and conflicting feelings. Trust me, my little hummingbird...give it time and Derek and you will be fine. Until then, I'm sure you and Scott will get into plenty of trouble, that you won't notice Derek being gone for too long." Claudia said with a smile.

Stiles chuckled, "Scott's doing a lot of training with his uncle and aunt. Teen wolves are kind of reckless and Alpha Talia wants to make sure Scott and Cora don't go all wolfy at school. I'm not seeing much of them either...sometimes it sucks to be human." He murmured the last part, but Claudia heard. Normally it would end there but Stiles continued, "If we were wolves too I wouldn't be so alone and you...you would...you wouldn't be..." 

"Dying?" She asked him in a calm, serene voice. 

Stiles tried to blink away the tears but as he looked at her, looking much paler and thinner than ever before, he couldn't keep the tears in. Claudia reached over and wiped the tears away.

"She offered it to me, you know."

Stiles snapped to attention, eyes widened, "What!"

"Talia. She offered me the bite. I turned it down."

" _Why_?" Stiles demanded. "The bite could cure you! It could make all of this go away! You...you could stay with...us. With _me_..."

"It could also kill me. And...I was born human. I don't have anything against werewolves, Stiles, but I wanted you to not think less of yourself for not being something else. You're friends with supernatural creatures who can do things you can't and it'll be tempting, my little bird, but...I wanted you to know there is nothing wrong with being human."

"But mom-"

"Humanity _isn't_ a weakness. Humans, like you, are so remarkable. This world we live in is full of possibilities. Each living thing has an entirely unique experience...The sights they see, the sounds they hear, the lives they live...are so _complicated_...a-and so _simple_. And I want you to join them. I want you to experience all that life has as the remarkable human you are because you are so strong and so smart. I...we both know what's happening to me, and we both know I'll be gone soon." Stiles shook his head fiercely as he bit his lip to keep from sobbing. Claudia continued, "We weren't religious, so we didn't raise you to be either. I don't know who or what you believe in. Maybe you believe in speaking to my spirit when I'm gone...or a photo. But I want you to remember baby...I live on in you." Stiles choked on a sob and wiped at his eyes angrily. "You have my eyes, and my dimples. You take your coffee just like your father, but you take your tea like me. You spread peanut butter and jelly on your toast like I do. And you do that thing where you bit your lip when you're thinking and stick out your tongue when you concentrate...maybe you won't see it every day, but your father will. I will die...but my memory lives on in you, my little Hummingbird."

"M- _mom_!"

"Promise me you'll enjoy all that humanity has to offer, Stiles." Claudia begged. 

"I will!" he promised as he hugged her carefully.

* * *

 

When Claudia Stilinski died...Stiles had been with her.

* * *

 

His dad gives him the option to stay home from school. Stiles asks if he was going to take time off work. He wanted to but they were understaffed and there was a serial killer on the loose. Stiles said he'd go to school. Claimed the silence of the house would suffocate him. 

The Sheriff nodded in understanding and told Stiles if he needed to leave early he could, or call him to come pick him up. 

Neither of them were ready to be bombarded with visitors giving their condolences, so the Sheriff told Stiles to keep things quiet until he had everything ready for the funeral. 

* * *

 

Stiles made it through the first few classes mostly fine. He was really out of it, but people put it off as sleep deprivation from normal teenage reasons. It was around after his third class that grief began to claw at him. He saw Derek and in seeking comfort approached him.

"Derek..."

Derek had been talking with some of his basketball friends when Stiles called him. Derek turned to him, eyes slightly wide and hissed, " _What_?"

"Can I talk to you for a bit? It's important." Stiles mumbled as his hands kept fidgeting. 

"What's this guy on, D? Or is he just special?" one of Derek's friends asked. Derek elbowed him lightly and rolled his eyes.

"Oi! Derek, Paige is coming." another friend called out. 

"Stiles, I gotta go." Derek turned away and head towards the music hall way.

"Derek!" Stiles called out, really needing someone right now.

"Not _here_ Stiles!" Derek hissed. Then he turned away and went away with his friends, whispering loudly about Derek and Paige. 

Stiles was left there, tears running down his face, anger building in the pit of his stomach. Not thinking it could get worse, Jackson passes by and shoves him hard, causing him to fall to the floor. Then the blond mocked him, "Clumsy much?"

"Awe, Jacks...you made him cry." one of his groupies cooed. 

Stiles glared at them as he scrambled up and sped down the hallway, looking for an exit. All the while wanting to stop the noise of them jeering and taunting him. He shoved and pushed people away, it hurt, but at this point he welcomed physical pain to what he was feeling inside. 

He was almost out the door when someone stopped in. 

"Hey...I'd ask if you're okay, but I know the answer. Come with me." 

Stiles was so blind sided that he wasn't sure what he should have said. All the anger that was fueling him a moment ago was drained away. All he wanted now was to go home and cry and wallow in sadness. 

"I'm sorry..." the guy leading him away from that door and leading him out another one. This one without an alarm that the other door had, and would have sounded if Stiles had opened it. 

"Jackson's a dick...has been since forever." Stiles replied.

"No, I mean about your mom." 

Stiles stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the other. Then he remembered who it was. Jeremy Gilbert. His parents were in a car crash a year ago. His older sister Elena was in charge of him now, or was, Stiles thinks she left to college. His dad and his parents were close friends.  They all attended the funeral. 

"How did you know?" Stiles heard himself ask. His voice was cracked and his throat dry.

"My sister's interning at the hospital. She...she found out. I know you think I don't mean it, but I do. I'm sorry." Jeremy said. 

Stiles nodded and shrugged, not knowing what to do. "So...thanks, I guess. I'll be going now."

"Or you could come with me." Jeremy said. 

"Where?" Stiles asked.

"I've been where you've been. I've felt what you've felt. I think I know what you need right now." Jeremy replied. 

Stiles looked at him. He knew Jeremy was one of the stoners in the school and could probably guess what sort of remedies Jeremy had in mind for him. Part of him wanted to decline. He had so many voices in his head chiding him about peer pressure and bad choices. But they all fell silent to the feeling that was eating him up inside. His eyes watered and he stared at Jeremy with pleading eyes, "Can you make it stop?"

"For a while." he promised.

Stiles nodded. They took his Jeep and Jeremy led Stiles to one of his stoner locations. 

When they arrived to someone's house, those who were sober enough to realize who he was protested. But Jeremy stood up for him and offered a bottle of pills and that was that.  He followed Jeremy's lead and between the two of them and a girl named Vicki, they shared a blunt. 

Stiles felt more relaxed than he has in the last few days. He laughs at something but can't remember what was so funny. 

Jeremy's getting up to pee and doesn't come back because he's talking with someone else. Vicki is leaning against him playing with his shirt before she turns his face towards hers and kisses him. He's shocked at first, but returns it soon after. When she pulls away she's smiling all dreamy like. 

"Jeremy said you were feeling really sucky today."

"My mother died." he stated bluntly. It was emotionless. Just fact. 

"That does suck. I can't bring her back. I can only be another method to help you cope." she offered him a meaningful glance, then motioned towards the stairs, "Come fool around with me." 

He looked around the room then back at her. She was a Junior and he a Freshman. She was a knockout and he was...Stiles. He thought about the same reasons he thought of when Jeremy offered to bring him here. But just like last time, all the logical reasons ebbed away to the consuming pain inside of him that hurt when he thought about it. 

Standing up, he followed her. He had no idea who's bed he was they landed on. All he knew or cared about was that they were both losing clothes, skin touched skin, and he kissed her as if his life depended on it. 

They were half naked, both just in their underwear with Vicki straddling him. She was cupping his face as they kissed before she pulled back and told him seriously, "This doesn't mean anything."

He was panting as he stared at her. His mother's last words echoed inside of him and he gave a single nod. "Good. I don't want it to. I just want to experience the pleasures of humanity...."

She smiled and giggled and went back to taking Stiles's virginity. 

* * *

 

The next day Stiles dresses in all black. Jeans, shirt, and leather jacket. He fixes his hair on his way out, though it still looks like he has a bad case of bed head. He feels weird. Last night had been some of the best experiences he's had, but he's still mourning the loss of his mother. 

Jeremy had said it was normal. Reminded Stiles that the drugs only helped to numb the pain. But when you love someone, the pain of losing them never goes away. And the things you use to ease the pain become addictive. It was why a year later Jeremy was still a stoner. 

He went through the first few classes much like the day before; a total blur. Only difference was that he texted Jeremy and Vicki regarding hanging out soon. This time around, he didn't bother searching for Derek or anyone else in the halls between classes. And he took his time getting to them. He was heading towards his fifth class when, already being late, when he saw the crowd. 

Curiosity got the better of him and he headed that way. 

He saw Erica Reyes on the ground seizing. And some jackass was video taping her instead of helping, like the others. 

Anger rose inside of him and before he even knew it, he punched the guy as hard as he could. The guy attacked back but Stiles held his ground. In the scrap he pick pocketed the phone and stashed it in his jacket. 

When the teachers came out to see what the commotion was about, they were ignored when they realized what was happening to Erica. But it wasn't long before Stiles and the other jerk were being dragged off to the principle's office. 

He was given an ice pack for his black eye while he waited. 

Honestly, he needed it. Physical pain was as much of humanity as bliss from sex. It made him feel slightly better. 

* * *

 

"Heard you kicked someone's ass for me."

Stiles looked up to see Erica approaching him. Her hair was in a messy ponytail and she was wearing her sweats and a t-shirt. He went back to packing his backpack. After more info was uncovered, and it was mostly figured out what exactly happened, Stiles got off with a warning. The other guys got detention for a week.

He shrugged as he closed his locker and leaned against it. "He needed to learn the consequences of his actions." 

She raised a questioning eyebrow. "Consequences?"

"Rather than help you, he was filming it. Had his app opened to Youtube." Stiles replied.

Erica's face paled and her eyes widened. She didn't remember what happened to her, but she must have been told her pants she was wearing during the seizure were pissed on. She let out a shaky breath and looked about ready to cry. That's when Stiles reached into his pocket and pulled out the phone and passed it over.

"But I stole it. Erased the video too."

She looked relieved, then tried to steady herself and rebuild her composure. "What am I supposed to do with this now?"

Stiles shrugged, "He has some racy photos and videos. Of himself and others. He was willing to humiliate you so..." he shrugged again. "It's in your hands. You decide his fate."

When Stiles began to walk away she called out, "Why help me?"

He stopped and thought about it. He turned to look at her over his shoulder and said, "Because I'm Batman."

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thinking of a time line to help people(and myself): 
> 
> Claudia died on a Tuesday.  
> On Wednesday Stiles went off with Jeremy to get high and lost his virginity to Vicki.  
> Thursday Stiles got into a fight with the dick who recorded Erica having a seizure.  
> The last part where he and Erica talk and Stiles claims to be Batman is a Friday morning. 
> 
> It may seem like a fast pace, but I want Stiles to experience as much as he can and begin to drift away from the Hales and into his own thing before they announce that Claudia's death.

**_Previously on Experiencing Humanity:_ **

_When Stiles began to walk away she called out, "Why help me?"_

_He stopped and thought about it. He turned to look at her over his shoulder and said, "Because I'm Batman."_

* * *

 

Instead of going to the lunchroom during his lunch period, Stiles heads to a place where he never thought he'd go before. There was a place that everyone knows about, even the teachers and staff where stoners go and get high, but no one ever does anything about it. As he's walking over he thinks of himself doing this before his mother died. How he'd probably walk to that spot all awkward and nervous, looking over his shoulder every half a second, worrying his father will be there to catch him with a disappointed look and lecture that would run longer than any detention with Harris. 

But that's not what happens. 

He walks up to the spot and recognized one of the stoners he was with two days ago, and they recognize him right back. Instead of teasing him about the Sheriff's kid being in with the bad crowd, they offer him some of whatever they were smoking. 

Stiles settles in, decides that the next class wasn't worth getting up for, and takes out his ipod. He skips around until he finds something that catches his attention. When the 4 Non-Blondes song "What's Up?" comes on, he decides it's a perfect song to describe him at the moment. Relaxed and gently rocking to his tunes, he mumbles along as he enjoys the cooling breeze that hits his face. 

 

 _And so I cry sometimes_  
_When I'm lying in bed_  
_Just to get it all out_  
_What's in my head_  
_And I, I am feeling a little peculiar_  
_And so I wake in the morning_  
_And I step outside_  
_And I take a deep breath and I get real high_  
_And I scream from the top of my lungs_  
_What's going on?_  
  
  
_And I say, hey hey hey hey_  
_I said hey, what's going on?_

"And I say, hey hey hey hey...I said hey, what's going on?~"

"That 4 Non-Blondes?" someone taps him on the shoulder as they asked. 

He removes his headphones from his ears and looks up at Vicki. Grinning at her he nods, "Yeah...seems like a helluva song to listen to right now."

She takes a seat next to him, pulling out a little device that reminded him of the Tenth Doctor's sonic screwdriver. She takes a puff, closes her eyes, and exhales. When she opens it she smiles and offers it. "Want some?"

"What is it?" Stiles asked as he takes it.

"Hash. It's like pot, but better." she replied as she leaned into him, much like she had at the house where they met. 

Stiles looks at the device for a moment before mimicking what he saw her do. 

"How long have you been here?" she asked.

"Since lunch." he replied as he leaned against her.

"Slippery slope, huh?" she sent him a teasing grin. 

Stiles chuckled, "I'd feel much more devious if I didn't have my father's permission to not be here in the first place."

"Then why _are_ you here?" she asked as she sat up.

He shrugged as he took another puff. "Home's depressing. Anyone I thought of as a friend doesn't know and are too cheery for my taste at the moment."

"Right...this isn't about pissing off or being defiant to daddy dearest. It's about loss and...what, exactly?" she asked him. 

Stiles thought about it. There _were_ other ways to cope. 

"My mother is gone...My father is in the same boat as I am. The people I thought were my friends have their own thing going on." Stiles summarized. "It's about pulling away from what was expected of me. From the path I set on based on the instructions and directions my parents and family gave me. It's about figuring out who I am in the absence of those who defined me."

"Wow...do you always get philosophical when you're high?" she giggled as she swatted his shoulder. 

Stiles chuckled as he took another hit of the Hash then passed it back to her. Exhaling the smoke in her direction he replied with, "I'm very zen. Deal with it."

They sat in silence, or as much silence there could be around a high school, when Vicki turned to look at him with a wicked grin. "The Lockwood's are throwing a party tonight. I have an invite. You should totally come with!"

Lockwoods. 

Stiles knew of them. Through his dad because Mr. Lockwood was the mayor and his dad was often at functions for his political parties. Through the Hales because the Lockwoods were another pack of werewolves, though their genetic traits were different. Mayor Lockwood and his brother Mason were the only Lockwood werewolves in town. The mayor's son, Tyler, knew but his werewolf gene was dormant. Stiles knew him from reputation. Tyler loved to party. Because he went to another school he was kind of rivals with Jackson and Lydia in the whole 'King of the Cool Kids' thing.

So if it was an act of defiance against Jackson, no matter how small, he was in.

"What time are we leaving?"

Vicki squealed and hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. "Party starts at 7. Pick me up at my place at 9."

* * *

 

What he told Vicki about not wanting to go home was true. His dad was at work and at the moment they both were better off coming to terms with reality by themselves. They both knew the disease that took his mother away, had known it for a while, so what else was there to say at the moment?

Though he could accept the condolences from Jeremy since he lived through it last year, he didn't think he could handle it from any one else at the moment. Which is why he hadn't confided in Scott or Cora or any of the Hales. If he told one, it wouldn't even be an hour before the whole pack knew. He was the baby. Even if there were younger members, he was the defenseless human and the baby of the pack and the last thing he wanted was to be coddled and treated like a piece of imported glass. 

Vicki had helped him cover up the bruise with some make up and it wasn't too bad. The ice pack that day really helped with any swelling. What really remained was his bruised knuckles. Stiles clenched and unclenched his hands. Grieving and anger were mixed together in him and some times all he wanted since his mother died was to punch something and keep on punching until her death felt justified. 

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard groaning and scuffling. Searching for the source he saw a group of three beating up someone who was now on the ground. Stiles acted on impulse. He tackled the guy that was going to land another kick on the fallen kid. When they were on the ground Stiles gave two really hard punches and drew blood before he was yanked up and punched in the jaw and then in the chest, causing him to fall. He glared at his attackers and let the rage he's been feeling inside of him take over and he launched himself at another. He landed a hard blow when the first guy he punched yelled, "Forget it! Not worth it!"

The three scrambled off.

Stiles panted as he watched them go. The inside of his mouth tasted like copper and when he spit he saw the blood. He wiped his chin with his sleeve and winced slightly at the ache.

"You're insane."

Turning to the soft voice that said that Stiles took a moment to place a name to the face.

It was Isaac Lahey.

Stiles offered him a hand which the blond took. Once they were standing face to face Stiles shrugged. "Not sure I've ever been sane."

Isaac chuckled and shook his head. Then he frowned as he reached for Stiles's jaw which Stiles pulled back and swattered the hand away lightly. Isaac blushed and balled his hands into fist. "Sorry."

"Don't be. I'm....I'm a lil wired today. Don't feel very touchy feely." Stiles explained.

"You okay? Got punched kinda hard....for me."

Was he okay? All day he was in a cycle of feeling nothing to feeling anger until he stashed himself away with the stoners. Now he _did_ feel something and the anger was placated...for now.  

"Sheriff's kid. Protection against wrong doing is sorta in my blood." 

"Still...they'll go after you again." Isaac warned solemnly. 

"Let them. I've got a lot of teenage angst and anger in store for them."

That made Isaac laughed and Stiles caught how it surprised the blond. In the distance he heard another bell and Stiles had no idea which one it was. Not that he cared at the moment. Then his stomach growled and he realized that maybe skipping lunch wasn't his best idea. 

"You hungry?" Stiles asked Isaac.

"Uh...we still got one more class."

"Right..." Stiles nodded. He may be going through something, but not everyone was. He wouldn't bring Isaac along unless he wanted to. "Well, I'm going to get a burger. And curly fries...I'm am _so_ craving them."

He walked away and turned to the parking lot. As he reached into his pocket for his keys he heard footsteps behind him. 

"Uh...I know a good place. For curly fries. You know...if you still wanna...?" Isaac asked sheepishly.

Stiles grinned and unlocked his Jeep, "Hop in."

* * *

 

After gorging himself on curly fries and talking with Isaac about the latest Marvel movie, they head to the arcade and hang out. It was so normal and easy, it was weird...for the both of them. Isaac kept twitching and flinching whenever he got a point on Stiles at something, like he expected to be hit. Stiles in turned kept expecting to be told to shut up or have the air hockey paddle taken away and told him to wait. 

Over all it was good for them both and they made plans to hang out again. 

When he drops Isaac off at his house, Stiles has plenty of time to go home and shower before picking up Vicki for the party. 

Once he's all showered and changed into a pair of his better jeans and that red t-shirt that Laura got for him that fit his body really well. The night was supposed to be a bit chilly to he placed his leather jacket on the bed for when he was ready to leave. Taking out his phone he replies to a few messages. He's a bit surprised by some of them. Some are from Jeremy and Scott, which are typical. There's one from his dad. And new ones from Erica and Isaac. He replies to them all, being selective with his answering depending on who asked what. 

He decides to text Derek with a simple message: _**Hey, what's up?**_

In the time he waits for it to be time to pick up Vicki he has a decent conversation through text with just about everyone...except Derek. 

Stiles sighed as he sent off goodnight text to everyone he was texting then pocketing his phone. He donned on his jacket and headed out. 

* * *

 

"Heeeeeey babbbby...wanna dance?"

Paige grimaced and rolled her eyes as she pushed the drunk aside. 

Music was blaring, smoke and flashing neon lights blinded her as she stumbled through the house. It was huge and finding anyone seemed impossible. The crowded areas forced her to head upstairs. She went into the second unlocked door she could find(the first unlocked door was to a room being used by two non-clothed people) and shut it behind her. The music died down immensely, though she could still feel the vibration of the base. 

When she looked up she saw she wasn't alone.

"Oh, sorry...I didn't know anyone else was here."

"It's okay. Looks like we're both here to escape?" the guy asked.

"I just need a moment." Paige replied. 

"I just need a place to hide out until my friend has her party fill...I lost her pretty soon after we arrived and I don't know anyone." the guy said and as she stepped closer she began to recall his face.

"You go to Beacon." she said.

"Yeah, I'm Stiles."

"Sheriff's son. And Derek's friend." Paige said, though wished she hadn't.

The easy grin Stiles had before fell. He gripped something through his jeans, she assumed it was his phone, and then forced himself to smile. "Sorta."

"Sorta?"

"Well, I am the Sheriff's son. That's a given. I've locked myself into his handcuff's too many times not to be...then again that probably doesn't mean anything when it comes to parentage. But uh...the whole Derek's friend thing. I mean...our family's have been friends forever. We were around the same age so we used to play a lot when we were younger." Stiles explained.

"Doesn't that make you friends?" Paige asked, cocking her head to the side.

Stiles shrugged. "Back then maybe? We're in high school now...he's..."

"A jerk?" she suggested.

Stiles offered her a grin and a chuckle. "He can act like it at time, but he's a good guy. He's just...trying to figure out who he is. When we're kids our parents dress us, feed us, allow us to read what they think is appropriate, listen to what they think is decent, and watch what they think is good. As parents that's their job...give onto us what they have learned. But when we're no longer kids we stray away from that...from everything that our parents gave us so we can find our own path, our own voice, our own taste in all things. Sometimes the taste is similar...sometimes it's completely different."

"He still shouldn't be so arrogant." Paige said with a slight smirk. 

"No, no he shouldn't. But...he's from a big family. The ages are separated enough that he doesn't have to compete much with his siblings at school, but he still has a lot of people to make proud and happy while still being happy himself."

"He should listen to his friends." Paige said.

"He does...which I think is part of his arrogance problem. They feed his ego far too much." Stiles replied casually. 

"I meant you...you seem...really down to earth."

"I get really zen when I smoke...speaking of which, do you mind?" he asks as he pulls the Hash he nicked from Vicki out of his pocket and heads to the balcony. 

Once on the balcony, he leans in the corner that's down wind, so when Paige joins him the smoke doesn't go her way. She watches him and he just smiles. "I feel like I shouldn't be offering but I feel rude not to...is that weird?"

"No." she smiles as she plays with her hair. A gust of wind passes and she shivers, wrapping her arm around herself. 

Stiles takes off his jacket and passes it over. 

"Oh, no, you don't have to-"

"Take it. I've been feeling really stuffy for the past hour. The breeze feels good." Stiles reassured her as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the air. 

Paige nodded and put the jacket on. When she placed her hands in the pockets she felt something. Taking it out she realized it was an ipod and it was still playing. She unraveled the headphones and placed a bud in her ear.

"It's _Scheherazade_." She breathed out in a bit of awe. 

Stiles opened his eyes when he heard her. Scratching the back of his head sheepishly he said, "Yeah...it's one of my favorites. Especially the violin solo. Gives me chills every time I listen to it."

She looked through the playlist then back at him with a questioning and amused look. "You do _not_ honestly listen to this."

"And if I do?" he replied with equal playfulness she was giving. "Have you ever listened to a piece while being on something?" he asked. "Hell, listening to the right piece, at the right time, in the right place...it'll make you _feel_ high."

"Can I try?" Paige asked after a moment.

It was a rather long moment because Stiles didn't know what she was referring to. 

"Try what?" 

"Whatever you're having. And listen to it" she said, lifting the ipod higher into the air. 

"Oh...you sure?" he asked. 

"Parties like these aren't usually my thing, but...this may be worth wild."

Stiles stared at her for a long moment before passing over the Hash. The first puff wasn't so successful and they both laughed and Stiles helped her through the next few. Then they shared an ear bud each and played the violin solo Stiles loved from Scheherazade as they stood side by side on a balcony at the Lockwood mansion. They oversaw the beautiful garden with fairy lights professionally placed to make it look enchanted. Then the sky above them was filled with stars and a wanning moon. 

As the song played, in that moment, because it was a moment... a pause; an acknowledgement of humanity. 

"Where do you think it comes from?" Paige asked quietly, afraid to ruin the moment but needing to ask.

"What?" Stiles asked, just as quietly and afraid of ruining the moment. 

"The need for music."

Stiles smiled. "To fill the void. To help us enhance our emotions and push them in the direction we choose. Sometimes events in our lives will render us speechless. Unsure of what to say and we're silenced. But out there is a song with the lyrics to perfectly describe your situation for you. There are songs with the emotions you have or want to express. The sheer joy and happiness to the complete shattering agony and despair. And it's also a measure of time."

They were standing closer now, looking into each other's eyes.

"Measure of time?" Paige asked. 

"Yeah...when a good song plays, one that really captures your soul...you remember where you are, who you were with, and what you were doing."

"Yeah...?" she asked as she leaned in closer. 

"Paige wait..." Stiles leaned back but Paige leaned in closer. She was really pretty and smart and interesting, but he couldn't do that to Derek. 

"Why?" she asked as she was about to kiss him.

"Stiles! Hey do you thi-oh I interrupted something didn't I?" Caroline said from the doorway. Her eyes were widened and she looked apologetic. 

Stiles took a step back and squared his shoulders and cleared his throat, "Uh...it's...um...did you need something?"

"Huh? Oh right! Uh...I think Vicki needs a ride home. She came with you, right?" Caroline asked and Stiles nodded.

He turned to Paige and they shared a silent conversation before he dashed out of the room and into the party to find Vicki. Luckily she was easy to find thanks to Elena and Bonnie.

* * *

 

"Wooo! I had fun, did you have fun?" Vicki slurred as Stiles helped her up the pathway to the door.

"Uh...yeah. It was...interesting." Stiles replied.

"You don't sound like you had fun. Oh! How about a quickie? That'll be fun! You're young, but _good_  at it and thick!" she giggled as her hand snaked it's way to his crotch. 

"Uh...how about tomorrow?" Stiles asked. He didn't really mean it, but he knew better than to argue with drunk people. 

"Awe....boo. What? Did you meet someone at the party that's prettier than me?"

"No one's prettier than you Vicks. Now come on, we're here." Stiles said as he knocked on the door.

It wasn't long before Matt opened the door. He looked very much like a parent would in this situation. 

"Um...please don't be mad?" Stiles asked. 

Matt only sighed as he helped Stiles bring Vicki inside. They laid her on the couch on her side. Matt went to get her a blanket and a pillow while Stiles removed her shoes, as much jewelry as he could, and let her hair loose. 

"Thanks for making sure she got home safe." Matt thanked him.

"Hey, no problem. You mind if I help watch over her for a bit? Not in a creepy way, I swear I just...I don't wanna go home yet." Stiles admitted.

Matt looked at him before nodding. "You hungry?"

"I don't wanna push." Stiles said.

"How's a grill cheese sound?"

"Deliciously greasy." Stiles replied honestly. 

He called his dad, even passed Matt over to verify his whereabouts. He'd been honest about going to a party at the Lockwood mansion, but said he was there as the designated driver. His dad believed him and told him to be careful. Vicki puked once, but that was about it. Stiles and Matt took turns putting the blanket back on her when it fell to the floor. And were there with water when Vicki woke up at random times thirsty and with a bad taste in her mouth.

Matt and Stiles talked.

He was one hell of a down to earth guy that Stiles found himself being honest with.

Stiles made it home around three in the morning.

* * *

"The trick is to find an anchor kiddo. And then you'll be golden." Mr. Hale explained to Scott about how a lot of the adults could control their shift. 

"What if I never find mine?" Scott whined. 

"You will. Everyone has one. Even humans." Talia reassured.

"Really?" Scott asked.

"Of course. They may not shift like us, but some humans have very strong emotions and use their own version of anchors to help keep it in check. If they didn't...well, there would be more violence and bold acts committed every day." Talia stated. 

She and her husband were in the kitchen with Scott, Cora, and Laura. With Scott and Cora being the newly teenage wolves, it was good practice for Laura to experience helping those without control how to control it. 

Scott looked out the window when he heard a car's wheels in their drive way. 

"Hey Derek!"

"What?" Derek called out from the living room where he was playing video games with Peter.

"Paige just pulled up."

There was a thud noise before scampering to the door. 

The other Hales all tried to look like they weren't eavesdropping but they were. Even Scott was, and he's sometimes too good for his own good. 

Derek fixed his hair before taking a deep breath and opening the door and donning on his usual arrogant smirk he has around her. "Paige...hey."

"Hey Derek." she replied with a smile. It threw him off a bit. Paige was usual defensively sarcastic around him, to match with his arrogant side. "Not bothering you, am I?"

"Uh...no. What's up?" he asked, noticing how she was hugging a leather jacket to her chest. The scent of it...was familiar. 

"Oh good. I uh...I wanted to ask you something. It's sorta embarrassing. Uh...Stiles lent me his jacket yesterday at the party and he left in a hurry and I forgot to give it back. I know I could wait until Monday at school, but it has his ipod in it and I thought he'd like it back sooner and also do you know if he's free Friday? I mean, probably but also probably not. It's just that we're having a concert and I want to invite him because I think he'll like what we've chosen, or not...this year we don't have that well of a coordinating teacher. Maybe he's free to come to one of my practices?" 

Derek watched as she rambled with widened eyes and slacked jaw. Paige's heart was beating fast and she looked flushed and she was playing with her hair. 

"I would have gone to his house... _maybe._ But I don't know where he lives or have his number."

Derek snatched the jacket away, scowl on his face. "I'll return it to him personally soon."

"Oh! Okay. Uh...can you give him my number?" she asked as she reached into her purse and pulled out a sheet of folded paper. "Tell him he can call me whenever and for whatever. I mean...not _whenever_ whenever but you know" she snorted into a laugh, something she's only seen happen with her friends and she was embarrassed or overly excited. "...yeah. Well, thanks Derek. You're so sweet! I gotta go. Tell Stiles hi for me!" she called out as she headed back to the car she was riding in which had an older person driving. 

"Plot...freaking...twist!"

Derek turned to see most of his family poking their heads out of the rooms they were in to look at him. He felt heat rush to his face, feeling extremely embarrassed and kind of pissed. 

He growls and grips the jacket in his hands and slams the door behind him. He hears people calling out to him, but he ignores them. He's not even paying attention to the scenery around him but soon he arrives at the Stilinski house. 

Climbing through the window was easy. He had a million things in his mind ready to explode onto Stiles, until his eyes land on the other. Stiles is on the bed with his back rested against the headboard with his pants undone and somewhat lowered. Between his legs was a girl was that blowing him.

"Oh my god! What the fuck? _Derek_!" Stiles shrieked when he noticed him. 

The girl pulled away and raised the sheets to cover herself and Stiles did his best to quickly tuck himself in and zip up.

Awkwardly, all anger now gone from him, Derek hands over Stiles's jacket.

"Paige...wanted me to return it."

"This couldn't wait?" Stiles barked.

"I...uh...I didn't know you were...." Derek stuttered.

"The front door and the doorbell are there for a reason! But feel free to use either the door or window to _get out_!" Stiles ordered. 

Derek obeyed and left through the window, mostly because today was one of the weirdest Saturday's he's ever had. When he got home he was greeted by just about every member of the pack. Derek looked bewildered and shocked and all he could utter was, "What the fuck?" 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

"Okay...how about you run that by me again. Cos uh..." Peter paused to scoff a bit. "It sounded like you said Stiles had a girl in his room, naked, and blowing him."

"That's what I _said_." Derek hissed.

After everyone tried to get him to speak about what happened that had him so flushed, Derek bolted away from the house again. He ran randomly around the preserve and then down the path that led back into town. Some time after Derek saw Peter's car slow by his side and follow him until Derek surrendered. Getting into Peter's car they drove off to get brunch. It was some place far enough that no one from the pack would be there, or anyone from school, and Derek told Peter what had happened. 

Peter sipped his coffee and then made the 'not bad' face. "Good for him."

" _What_?" Derek cried as he looked at Peter incredulously. 

"What?" Peter asked with a raised eyebrow. "With the younger wolves taking their training more seriously, Stiles doesn't have many friends...or so we thought. Never saw him as a player though." Peter chuckled and then smirked. "I'll have to hang out with _him_ more."

"Stiles is _not_ a player. He's...he's..."

"He apparently went to the Lockwood party, something not even Lydia Martin, Jackson Whittemore, or you got invited to. He got Paige's attention or did you not smell her arousal as she all but gushed about Stiles to you? And _then_ you tell me Stiles had a girl in his room and they were getting down and dirty-where are you going?" Peter demanded as Derek abruptly stood up and stormed off. 

"Fuck you, Peter!"

* * *

 

"So...you got Derek Hale climbing in through your window. Should I be jealous?" the girl asked as she redressed. 

Her name was Tina Fell. She belonged to one of the founding families along with the Gilberts, the Lockwoods, the Forbs', the Martins, the Whittemores, and the Hales. The founding families were split up by territory. The Gilberts, Lockwoods, Forbs, and Fells typically all ended up in Mystic County while the Martins, Whittemores, and Hales ended up in Beacon. But do to problems Stiles wasn't really sure of instead of going to Mystic High, she went to Beacon. She'd been at the party and before he ran away to hide out until Vicki was ready to go home, she was one of the people Stiles was talking to until some guy from Mystic High came and took her away. 

Stiles wasn't sure how she got his number or his address, but she'd shown up at his door that morning and invited herself in. There wasn't really much talking after that. 

After Derek's entrance and departure there was also very little talking. They went back to their previous activities and finished properly. 

Stiles handed her her jacket with a grin, "You specifically said this didn't mean anything, so...I don't think so."

"So...you're into boys?" she asked with a wicked smirk. 

He wasn't sure what he was. Bi for sure, but he'd been reading about pansexuality and he was thinking maybe he was that. But for now he knew he had no problem getting aroused by either gender, but so far he's only been with girls. 

"I'm not blind and some guys put serious effort into looking hot. Hard to ignore." Stiles replied casually. 

Tina giggled. "Have you ever been with a guy?"

"Not yet." Stiles answered as he found his shoes and put them on. 

"You should call me when you do." She leaned in and wrapped her arms around his neck and pecked him with a kiss.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "I should?"

"Hell yeah! I love gay porn!" she giggled again and Stiles chuckled. "But seriously, you get yourself a boyfriend, you come and tell me all the glorious, dirty, sexy details. And until then...how's about being my date to the Winter Formal?"

"I thought this was a one time thing?" Stiles asked skeptically. 

"What? Are you allergic to relationships?"

"No...it's just not something I want right now." Stiles said honestly. There was no arrogance or attitude in his voice, like what Tina normally hears when guys are asked that, so she smiled at him. 

"So it's not a relationship. Good. It's a friends with benefits."

"If you go with me there won't be any benefits. I drive an old Jeep and none of the popular kids know I exist. You won't get anything from me." Stiles told her. Every movie and show he's ever seen, plus the high school stigma he's learned so far have proved to him he doesn't have that much to offer. 

"That's actually a plus. Ugh, this year Lydia and Jackson are insufferable. Not hanging out with them is refreshing. And you're interesting. You don't treat me like a bimbo and we share serious conversations." She said with a slight smirk as she flipped her blonde hair. 

Stiles rolled his eyes. "We talked once and it was about Game of Thrones."

"That is a serious conversation." she said with mock seriousness. 

They had a bit of a staring contest then they broke out laughing. 

"And...the sex is kinda great. You actually think about pleasuring me instead of simply thrusting into me trying to get off." 

"I watched a lot of porn. Seemed a shame to not use what I've learned." Stiles replied. 

"Well, I'm an eager participant if you ever wanna put your knowledge to actual practice." she purred at him.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

Her cell dinged and she sighed when she checked it. "I gotta go. But I'll chat with you later about the formal, okay?"

Stiles walked her down and to the door and nodded, "I haven't said yes."

"Haven't said no either." she winked at him and then was off. 

Stiles watched her get into her car and drive off. 

The next half an hour he spent doing some chores. He mostly stuck to his room, the living room, and the kitchen. Some of the other rooms held too much of his mother in them. When he went into the living room he saw a blanket and he could only assume that his father has been avoiding sleeping in their room. He sighed as he folded the blanket and placed it in the hall way closet. Stiles feels like sooner or later he and his dad will have to have some sort of talk, and he didn't really want to have it. 

He wanted to be strong. His dad already had a lot of problems and already worried enough about him what with him hanging around dangerous supernatural creatures. It made him feel slightly guilty about what he's done, but then he looks at the table and sees a half empty bottle of Jack Daniels and he sighs again. Like father like son...

They both knew his mother was gone. They knew what had caused it. And to be honest they both saw it coming. There was no mystery or asking why. They weren't really a religious family so there was no point in asking any deity about her illness or death. 

What could either really say without breaking down? They missed her. They thought her death was too soon and unfair. It didn't change anything. Wouldn't bring her back, wouldn't make them feel better. 

Stiles would avoid it as much as possible...and he thinks his father will too. 

When there was a knock on the door, he was curious about who it could be. He wasn't expecting anyone else and because it was barely some time after noon on a Saturday, he didn't think he'd hear from Isaac or anyone else at the moment. 

To see Derek again was...a surprise. 

Rather than get the usual feelings he got around Derek like admiration or happiness, his brow furrowed and he frowned. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Me? What the hell are _you_ doing?" Derek demanded.

"Uh...I _live_ here?"

Derek realized his mistake and blushed in embarrassment. Then his face contorted into anger, "That's not what I meant! What the fuck did you and Paige do?"

"Paige?" Stiles asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, she came over to my house to try to find out where you live cos apparently she couldn't wait until Monday to return your jacket. What the hell does that mean, huh?" Derek demanded.

Stiles frowned deeper. "I kept her company. We listened to music and talked. That's it."

Derek listened out for Stiles heart and even though he knew Stiles didn't lie, it didn't make him feel better. "What? Is she not good enough?"

"I didn't say that! I knew you liked her. I wasn't about to make a move on her, what sort of guy do you think I am?" Stiles demanded.

"Make a move on her? Like you could. I don't know who you think you are, but remember your place!"

"My _place_?" Stiles exclaimed in indignation. Then his eyes darkened in anger. When he spoke it was quiet and calm, the kind before a horrible storm. Dangerous. "Get. Out." 

"Or what? You gonna fight me, little human?" Derek mocked, smirking smugly. 

"I'm serious Derek, get out!" Stiles ordered, eyes beginning to glisten.

"Awe...what, are you gonna cry now?" Derek scoffed, "For a moment I thought you'd become a man. You're still just a momma's boy."

_**SMACK** **!** _

Stiles punched Derek as hard as he could and on instinct Derek let his inner wolf react. He pushed Stiles against the wall roughly, so much so that Stiles's head gave a loud thud,  but Derek didn't notice until later, right now his eyes flashing gold and his teeth growing a bit. Tears fell from Stiles' eyes and he looked angry. Angriest he's ever seen and the scent he was giving off was intense. It was a mixture of pain and agony and hatred. 

Derek let go of Stiles and stepped back. Anger flushed out of him as he realized just how... _childish_ he was being. He _hurt_ Stiles. He probably scared him. "Stiles- I'm sor-"

"Fuck you, Hale." Stiles seethed as he rushed passed Derek and left his own house.

He slammed the door and left a shocked Derek in his house. It wasn't a home anymore. How can it be when one of their family was forever gone? Stiles got into his Jeep and started the engine and sped off. He didn't care where he went, he just needed to get away. 

* * *

 

He drove until he ran out of gas.

He parked his Jeep and then began to walk. Stiles didn't care where he was or where he was going. So far he's been able to keep his emotions in check. The only time he broke down was when his mother first passed away. Since then he's been mostly feeling apathy with random burst of anger that he's used to fight and protect. Right now there was no one to protect, no one to fight. Tears continued to escape his eyes and he couldn't stop them. He pulled at his hair, feeling himself unravel and fall apart at the seems. 

Since he was having an inner crisis he didn't notice as he bumped into someone. 

"Oi, watch it brat!"

"Fuck you!" Stiles retorted without thinking. 

"What'd you just say to me?" the guy he bumped into demanded. 

Stiles stopped to stare at who it was he bumped into and though he didn't recognize him personally, Stiles could tell he was a gang member by the tattoos on his arm. He should be running or apologizing or anything _but_ what he actually did.

"Need me to speak up old man? I said _fuck you_!" Stiles glared his hardest. 

"You little shit!" the gang banger yelled as he shoved Stiles to the ground. 

Stiles was too riled up and angry to just stay down and let it end. He jumped up and lunged at the gang banger and landed the hardest punch he could deliver. The gang banger shoved Stiles again and kicked him this time. When Stiles was down, he added another kick to his face this time, Stiles's head hitting the concrete. The gang banger stood over Stiles and pulled out a pocket knife and still Stiles just glared on in anger. 

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?" Someone yelled. 

The gang banger glared at Stiles then at the person who yelled. He gave Stiles a kick, in the stomach this time, before taking off in a sprint. Stiles rolled over and winced as he grabbed his stomach. 

"Oh my god, Stiles? Is he okay, Vernon?" 

"Matt?" Stiles coughed as he sat up and tried to get a look at his saviors. 

Matt was kneeling in front of him with someone familiar. Vernon Boyd. Stiles saw him at school, usually kept to himself. They were both wearing blue 'Mystic Grill' shirts. Looking up he did see the pub across the street. 

"Come on, let's get him inside and put some ice on that." Boyd said. Together with Matt they carried Stiles inside. 

The Mystic Grill was kind of busy and a lot of the patron's eyes were on them as they entered. Matt and Boyd took him to the back. Boyd brought him over to one of the spare chairs while Matt wrapped some ice around a towel. 

"What the hell, man?" Matt asked as he placed the ice against the already forming bruise.

"Jeep ran out of gas...I started walking...bumped into the guy and...well, you saw the rest." Stiles shrugged. Anger...not leaving him per say. But it died down from a burning inferno to a low simmering heat. He could deal with that. He could control that. His apathy was coming back and Stiles settled in for a clear expression as the numbness of nothingness spread. 

"I _saw_ you fighting a guy twice your size who pulled a knife out on you!" Matt cried. 

Stiles sighed, "I had a...bad day, okay? I'm better now. And I'm alright."

"Your face is turning blue and your head is bleeding." Boyd pointed out. 

Matt frowned, "Maybe we should get you to the hospital."

"No! I'm...Matt, I'm alright. I just...I'm okay now." Stiles said as he tried to get up. 

"No way. If you don't wanna go to the hospital, the very least stay here and rest up." Matt argued.

"I gotta go fill up my Jeep. It's empty." Stiles said. "Matt, you're a cool dude, but you can't keep me here."

"Stiles I-"

"I'll go with him. My shift's over anyway." Boyd said. Matt looked between them and was about to say something when someone called Matt out. "It's lunch rush dude. You're busy. I have time before my next job. I'll make sure he stays alive."

Stiles felt a little ignored as Matt and Boyd had a hushed conversation. He didn't mind. Anything to keep him from going home, he just didn't want to be coddled. He kept pressing the make shift ice packet to his face where he felt the most pain. Which was...all over. But oddly enough...it was good. He needed it. He could deal with _this_ pain. 

Finally they seemed to agree on something and he and Boyd went to the nearest gas station where Stiles bought a a fuel can and filled it up. It would be enough to get his Jeep to a gas station. After his Jeep was properly fueled again he turned to Boyd and asked, "You need a ride to the ice rink?"

Boyd raised an eyebrow, "You know that's where I work?"

"I'm the sheriff's kid. Nosy lil fucker. I know just about everything." Stiles replied smugly. 

Boyd didn't want to be amused but his lips tugged up in a bit. Then he frowned, "You okay man?"

"I was nearly gutted, so uh...relatively speaking, yes?"

"You know what I mean. Look...I know we never really talked, but maybe that's what you need? A new set of eyes or ears?" Boyd offered. 

Stiles thought about it. He touched his aching and bruised face, and thought over everything that's happened this last week. He wasn't sure how much longer he could go without actually telling anyone. He nearly screamed it at Derek in anger when he called him a momma's boy. 

"You don't have to if you-"

"My mom died." Stiles said suddenly. 

It wasn't the first time he said it, but it was the first time the realization hit him hard. He felt like there was a ten ton truck on his chest and it was hard to breathe. His eyes stung with the need to cry again, and his throat felt clogged with emotion. 

"I'm sorry." Boyd said. 

Like Jeremy, it seemed sincere and Stiles didn't mind it. So he just nodded and wiped at his eyes. 

"Anything I can do?" Boyd asked.

"I...I have nowhere to be and I hate that. Let me drive you some place? Bother you at work?" Stiles tried, not sure if Boyd would want to. 

"You mean...hang out?"

"Yes?"

Boyd looked at Stiles for a long time before nodding. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"That way Matt won't bitch at me on Monday." Boyd said with an easy grin. 

Stiles managed to return it...or he hoped he did. The swelling of his face was happening regardless of the ice. 

"He worries. He's a worrywart kind of guy. But a good friend." Stiles said. 

"Yeah...he is. Come on then. The ice rink's across town and if we want to get there on time we should leave now." Boyd said as he got into the driver's seat. Normally Stiles would bitch about someone else driving his beloved Jeep but he was too achy to really complain. So he got into the passenger's seat and they were off. 

Stiles thought it would be awkward. He and Boyd never talked before. Not really. He just got beat up, nearly killed, and just admitted that his mother died. He couldn't talk to Boyd about drugs or parties like with Vicki or Jeremy. 

But it wasn't awkward. It was nice. They talked about their classes and teachers. Boyd asked Stiles a few questions about their literature assignment while Stiles in turn had Boyd explain some of the newest topics in science. 

He got a text from Isaac asking how he was doing. 

"Do you mind if Isaac joins us?" Stiles asked Boyd. 

"Isaac Lahey?" Boyd asked and Stiles nodded. "Nah. It's be cool to have someone keep an eye on you while I do storing in the back. Not sure you can follow me there." 

Stiles nodded and told him how he was hanging out with Boyd at the ice rink and invited him. Isaac replied happily with exclamation points and smiley faces. 

* * *

 

Once Derek snapped out of his stupor he tried to run after Stiles but the Jeep was too fast for even him. With a heavy sigh he headed home. On the way he checked his phone and saw the text Stiles sent him yesterday. 

He opened up a new one to send to him. It took him the whole way back to the Hale house for him to decide what to send. He finally sent:  **Im srry for everything. Forgive me?**

Normally when he texted Stiles he got a reply ten seconds in. But a minute passed. That minute became five. He sat out front for about fifteen minutes with no replies before he decided to send another one.

**I know ur mad. @ least let me know ur ok?**

He waited another ten minutes without a reply and he was going to send another one when the door opened. 

Peter was there but there was no sarcastic greeting. His face was serious as he looked at Derek. "Come in." He said coldly. 

"Peter I'm not in the moo-"

"Derek. Come in. We have to talk." Talia called from inside. 

Derek cocked his head to the side curiously before going inside. The mood was the first thing he noticed. It was sad. More than sad...it was in pain. Everyone was down and some were even crying. His stomach clenched in fear about what it could mean.

"What happened?" he demanded quietly. 

Derek was led into the living room where all the older members where sitting or standing. Some were comforting those who were more distraught by whatever was going on. Other tried to be strong on their own like Laura, who was standing off to the side hugging herself and failing in her attempt not to cry. 

Talia patted the seat next to her and Derek followed like an obedient pup. 

"Sweetie...you know how Malissa works at the hospital?" Talia began. 

Derek nodded. Not all of their pack members were wolves, so they needed a medical official for their pack. She was also Scott's mother, which made things convenient for the pack. Melissa also kept an eye out at the hospital for cases that may need their input. 

Talia nodded and then cupped Derek's cheek. "You also know how Claudia was sick?"

Derek's heart clenched as his mind connected the two with the atmosphere of the room. But he couldn't get his mouth to work so he just nodded. Talia smiled apologetically and a tear fell from her eye, "I'm sorry baby..."

Derek's breath hitched.

"W...when?"

"Tuesday."

He bolted up, eyes widened. "But...but...it's _Saturday_! Why are we just finding out now?" 

"John wanted to keep things quiet. He and Stiles wanted to process before word got out...Stiles was there when it happened." Mr. Hale said.

" _What_?" Derek cried and then he remembered how much of a jerk he'd been to Stiles that week. He remembered earlier when he'd hurt him...scared him. Called him a- "Fuck!" Derek bemoaned as he fell into the couch and buried his face in his hands. Guilt seeped out of him in waves.

"Derek... _what_ did you do?" Peter demanded, having been with Derek before he stormed off after their talk about Stiles. He didn't think much of it since he got home and learned of the news. The Hale's, Stilinski's and McCall's have been close friends since forever. He babysat Stiles since he was an infant. Claudia was one of the few people who saw past his demeanor and saw the real him. Or rather, the good he could be. The clever, brilliant guy who had potential. With each visit he made and the scent of sickness got stronger, the more Peter hurt. Knowing she was dead? It hurt like a bitch. And thinking about Derek's attitude earlier, he could only guess he hurt Claudia's pup...which angered Peter enough to flash his eyes at Derek.

"Peter..." Talia warned.

"No! What did you do Derek?" Peter repeated.

Derek winced before he mumbled, "I...I wolfed out at him...shoved him...after...after we had a fight and I called him a momma's boy."

There were a lot of groans given at once. 

"Derek...you have to apologize." Talia said sternly and with disappointment. 

Derek looked down in shame but nodded. 

The next few hours were spent trying to reach Stiles, but he was ignoring them all. Derek, not having much patience, went to the Stilinski house and waited for Stiles in his room. 

He waited hours and hours, he waited the whole night. But Stiles didn't come home. 

* * *

 

"You not gonna answer that?" Isaac asked as Stiles's phone buzzed for the hundredth time in the last half hour. 

Stiles read some of the messages. Laura and Peter were trying to be discreet by inviting him out to eat or hang out. But Scott wasn't so subtle. He sent two paragraphs explaining his sadness and guilt and how he should have been there for Stiles. 

They knew. 

They knew and now Stiles had to deal with people coming up to him, hugging him, saying they were sorry without meaning it. 

...okay, so maybe the Hales would mean it. But Stiles didn't want to hear it anyway. 

"Nope. Just waiting for the battery to die if I'm honest." Stiles replied as he and Isaac sat on the bleachers of the rink and waited for Boyd's shift to end. They continued to talk about school, and when Isaac arrived the topics switched to sports and Marvel and DC. 

"Well...how's your face feeling?" Isaac asked with a deep frown. "You really need to stop fighting."

"Would it make you feel better if I told you I didn't do it on purpose? It just happened."

"Yes and no. Yes because I'm glad you're not just seeking fights out. And no because you're still getting hurt. Stiles, the last guy pulled a _knife_ out on you!" Isaac exclaimed and threw his hands in the air in emphasis. 

"I know, okay? I was there, I saw it!" Stiles spat back. It made Isaac flinch and wince and Stiles sighed, "I'm sorry...I'm just angry today. But not at you."

"It's cool..." Isaac mumbled.

"No it's not. I shouldn't take my anger out on you when you're just being a concerned friend...I'm really sorry." Stiles apologized. 

Isaac grinned slightly. "Apology accepted."

* * *

 

They went to eat after Boyd's shift. Stiles's phone had died some time after Boyd finished so there was no interruptions during their meal. They were all becoming fast friends and were making plans for later in the week. 

Since Stiles was the only one with a vehicle he drove Isaac and Boyd home was it was late enough. Stiles promised to take it easy and stay out of trouble...at least until Monday. 

Stiles drove around aimlessly again, anger still just simmering in the back burner. It wasn't enough to fuel him into doing anything outrageous at the moment. He was filled with a cold, emotionless, numbness that made the physical pain and aches kind of welcomed. 

He didn't want to go home. He didn't want to talk to anyone. 

He continued to drive around aimlessly thinking of where he could go. Vicki was an option, but going to her house may mean running into Matt and he didn't think he wanted to just yet. Jeremy seemed his next logical choice since he was a friend and probably had drugs that Stiles would very much love to be on right now. He nearly made it before he swerved his Jeep when he saw someone lying in the middle of the street. 

Stiles quickly undid his seat belt and rushed to help, but once he was out the road was empty again.

"What the hell?" he asked himself. Maybe getting high _wasn't_ his best option right now. He wiped his tired eyes before turning to get back into his Jeep. When he did, he jumped a bit as someone was now standing in front of him. They made eye contact and then the person said, "Don't move. Don't scream. Don't make a sound."

 

 

Stiles...felt compelled to comply.


	4. Chapter 4

"We shouldn't be here..." Laura moped as she walked side by side with her mother.

"We've been planning this for a while now, Laura. The timing is right." Talia replied professionally. 

Laura looked over at her mother and saw the tension in her shoulders clearly. Normally Talia was sure of herself and professed natural ease and calm that helped others do the same. But right now she was giving off anything but ease and calm. Which is why Laura scoffed at her words. 

"The timing is _horrible_. We should be looking for Stiles. We should be with Uncle John. We should be doing anything but this! How can we think of expanding our family when one of our members is dead and two more are in pain?" Laura demanded. 

"Laura, sweetie...I know, okay? I know it's hard. But Stiles doesn't want company right now. The best we can do is respect his wishes and give him the space he needs." Talia said as she placed a calming hand on Laura's shoulder. 

"But what if he did need us and he tried to reach out to Derek and he blew him off?" Laura demanded. She loved her little brother, she did, but Stiles was like a little brother too. To know that when he needed his pack the most, he was brush off and hurt, by one of their _own_ no less...she couldn't face Derek until she saw herself that Stiles was alright.

Talia sighed deeply. "Derek made a mistake."

Laura scoffed and crossed her arms while rolling her eyes. 

"He's sorry. And we'll get in contact with Stiles soon. But it has to be on his own time..." Talia tried to stress. "Now come on...we're on a schedule."

"I still think this could wait." Laura sighed as she let her arms fall to the side and continued to follow her mother. 

"Then this will be an important lesson to learn as a new Alpha. As much as you'll want to deal with a world as it should be, you'll have to deal with the world as how it is...and it's not always pleasant. Now...you remember how we rehearsed it?" Talia asked as she led Laura to a closed door.

Laura nodded so Talia nodded her head in a 'go on then' fashion. Laura took a deep breath before turning the handle and stepping inside. 

"Who are you?"

"Hello Erica Reyes. My name is Laura Hale, and I've come to make you an offer." 

* * *

 

_"Yo, this is me. If you don't know who me is, then you have the wrong number. If you do know who this is, leave your message at the beep."_

"Hey Stiles, it's me Derek, though you probably guessed that if you already checked the other eight messages I left you...uh...look, just...answer the phone, okay? I'm sorry and I want to say it face to face and I shouldn't have been that much of a dick and then the thing with Paige and wolfing out and-" _**beeeeeeeep**_!

"UGH!" Derek screamed as he fought the urge to throw his phone as hard as he could. 

He dialed again and it rang until the voice mail picked up. 

_"Yo, this is me. If you don't know who me is, then you have the wrong number. If you do know who this is, leave your message at the beep."_

"Stiles _please_! I'm so sorry, okay? I just...I get if you don't wanna talk to me but at least check in with the pack. We're all worried. Please." 

Derek called another five times and though he knew he wouldn't get an answer, he kept calling because he wanted to hear Stiles's voice. Even if it was that stupid voice mail recording. _"Yo, this is me. If you don't know who me is, then you have the wrong number. If you do know who this is, leave your message at the beep."_

After that he sent so many texts, he lost count. 

**Pls answer me. I'm sorry. Wanna talk. Pls!!!**

**Worried abt u. Pls pick up.**

**Where r u? Just check in?**

**Im srry. How can I make it better?**

The texts kept on like that until someone snatched the phone out of his hands. 

"Hey!"

"The point is to try and convince him to come back to us on his own. This? This isn't helping. You're worse than a love struck school girl with a crush." Peter snarled as he read through the texts.

Derek snatched his phone back. Though he could respond with a comeback he instead asked, "Any sign of him?"

Peter sighed. "No..."

"What about the Sheriff?"

"He's accounted for. Work or home. Melissa talked to him. He's closing up though. It's not easy for him to talk about it yet." 

Derek raised an eyebrow at him, silently asking how he knew that exactly. 

Peter shrugged, unashamed, "I was eavesdropping." 

"What about Stiles? Does he know where he is?" Derek asked.

"The Sheriff said Stiles has been distracting himself with friends all week when he can't be home anymore. Exact words." Peter frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

"Friends? What friends?" Derek asked, a bit of jealousy coursing through him. It should be him and the others in his pack comforting Stiles in his hour of need.

"I dunno? That chick that was blowing him in his room? Paige? Have you asked Paige if she's seen Stiles?" Peter asked hotly.

Derek glared and growled at his uncle as his eyes flashed. Peter growled and flashed right back. 

"Okay, break it up you two." Mr. Hale called out as he approached the two. 

The two glared at each other a bit longer before Peter turned away in a huff and marched off. Derek glared at his retreating back until he was gone from view. Then he turned to his father with a worried expression, "Has anyone been able to contact him yet?"

"I'm afraid not. No sign of his Jeep either. Look son, I know you are feeling some personal guilt. And I want you to apologize to Stiles properly when you get the chance."

"I will!" Derek promised.

"Good. But Derek? Stiles is in a vulnerable state right now. And your actions hurt him a bit more." Derek whimpered at the reminder and looked away. His father lifted his chin and made him look back at him. "You're going to have to give Stiles time to grieve. And he may ask you to give him that time and space. Promise me you'll respect his wishes."

"I...I..."

"Promise me Derek." Mr. Hale repeated with more authority in his voice.

Derek sighed in defeat. "I will dad. I just...I want him to forgive me."

"I know son, but these are delicate matters you just can't force. I've called everyone back to the house." Mr. Hale said. 

" _What_? But we haven't found him yet!" 

"He isn't lost. And we have things to do as well. Laura's offering her first Bite. Should the candidate agree, we all should be present as a pack for the welcoming." Mr. Hale said.

"No one knows where Stiles is and you want me to focus on some stranger who may or may not accept the Bite?" Derek asked angrily. 

His father flashed his eyes at him in warning and Derek looked down at his feet in submission. 

"I know none of this is easy, Derek. But our hands are tied until they're not. There's nothing more you can do but go home and be supportive of your sister."

"I can be out there looking for Stiles." Derek argued.

"Well I'm ordering you to head home. And it's not even as a wolf but as your father. Now _go_."

Derek growled lightly but followed behind his father as they made their way home. 

* * *

 

"Why am I doing this again?" Stiles asked as he followed behind Damon into the old Boarding House. 

The bite mark on his neck was still raging red and bleeding a bit. It hurt like hell, but for some reason that Stiles didn't understand he didn't complain about it. He didn't touch it, he didn't try to look at it when he passes reflective surfaces, he didn't mention how he should probably get it disinfected and wrapped up. He wasn't sure _why_ he didn't and it was bugging him in the back of his mind, and yet he didn't.

"Because!" the vampire holding him semi-hostage said in a rather upbeat mood. And Stiles meant semi-hostage because...well, part of it was because he wasn't sure why he wasn't complaining. But he hadn't made a fuss about it. Even if something in him told him he should. Another part was that being there meant he didn't have to confront the Hale pack. "You were a great snack and I might get hungry again. More than that, you're actually competent, you managed to do what I requested without messing it up and on the first try."

"Do you usually deal with incompetent idiots that a performance done right the first time around is rare?" Stiles asked. 

"Sadly..." the vampire pouted a bit. Stiles wasn't really sure what to make of him yet. He was dangerous and powerful, sarcastic and witty, but borderline psychotic. Handsome though. 

" _Stiles_?" 

"Is the concept of knocking really that hard for you to grasps, Barbie?" 

Stiles turned to the door and was a bit surprised to see Caroline there. She ran up to Stiles and turned his head to the side and inspected the wound. Then she turned to glare at the male Vampire.

" _Damon_! What. The. Hell?" Caroline demanded.

"What? You know the kid?" Damon asked as he cocked his head to the side. 

" _Yes_! What did you do to him?" Caroline cried.

Damon rolled his eyes, "Calm down blondie. The kid here was just helping me with a few errands. That's all." When Caroline didn't do anything but glare harder Damon sighed and continued his explanation. "I needed to recover some things from an old Bennett house and the spirits of the old hags wouldn't let me in. I was bummed out and hungry. He happened to be a willing helper."

"You compelled him didn't you? Damn it, Damon!"

"What'd he do this time?" Jeremy asked as he came into the house with a box in his arms. He dropped it when he saw Stiles and ran to him and did the same thing Caroline did. The he turned to Damon and yelled, "What the fuck?"

Damon gave an exasperated sigh before walking over to Stiles, biting his own wrist, and offering it to Stiles. When Stiles scrunched up his nose in distaste and kept his mouth shut, Damon made eye contact and ordered, "Drink." And so he did. 

When Damon pulled his wrist back it was already healing. Jeremy removed the wristband he was wearing and placed it on Stiles's own wrist. Like a flick of a switch that feeling Stiles had in the back of his head he'd been ignoring came flaring to life. Stiles placed his hand over the wound, only now that it's gone. He ran to the mirror and inspected his neck. It was still red and pink from the blood stains, but it was as if the wound had never been there. 

More than that. Stiles inspected his face and the bruises and swelling he'd gotten because of the fights he's been in have disappeared too. He swirled back around and demanded, "What the hell is going on?"

"You know...we coulda just erase his memory when I was done with him." Damon deadpanned. 

" _No_!" Jeremy and Caroline cried together. 

Jeremy turned to Stiles with a sheepish look. He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it. Caroline was much the same. 

"He's a vampire." Stiles said as he pointed to Damon. Damon smirked and gave a nod. "Who can control minds?" Stiles asked.

"All vampires can do that. Unless it's to another vampire or a witch. Or someone wearing vervain. Which is what's in that bracelet Little Gilbert gave you." Damon replied. 

Stiles nodded slowly. He looked around and noticed books, painting, and artifacts that seemed as old and timely as the house. When his eyes landed on Damon again he asked, "How old _are_ you?"

"Old enough, Jailbait." Damon replied with a wink. 

Stiles blushed some and fought down a grin. Then he turned to Jeremy and Caroline, "And you two...?"

"Human." Caroline replied quickly. She and Jeremy still seemed a bit tongue tied. 

"Oh...okay then." Stiles said in acceptance.

"Okay?" Jeremy echoed.

"Yeah. You two are humans that hang out with werewolves and vampires." Stiles said. Then he turned to Damon, "I want to set some ground rules about feeding though."

"Wait...you're...you're okay wit- you _know_ about werewolves?" Caroline squeaked. 

"Yeah, the Lockwoods. Old time family with the gene that's different from the Hales." Stiles supplied. 

Caroline and Jeremy looked confused while Damon's smirk just got bigger. 

"Huh. Well, things just got more interesting." Damon stated. 

* * *

 

_"You're okay then?"_

"Yeah dad. I'm fine. I'm at the Gilbert house. Yes, Elena and Jeremy. Their aunt Jenna, but she's out on a date." Stiles said into Jeremy's phone as he talked to his dad. 

It was later into the afternoon when he was out of Damon's compulsion and remembered to call his dad. As he already knew, the Hales and McCalls knew and were looking for him. Stiles told his father that he didn't feel like seeing their company at the moment, and the Sheriff understood. He told Stiles he was going to announce it to the department today since they couldn't keep avoiding it. He'll take a few days off afterward to settle everything that needs to be settled. The Sheriff asked if Stiles planned on going to school the next day and Stiles replied honestly. 

"I don't know."

_"Well...when you decide call me. Okay kiddo?"_

"Yeah, I will."

_"I gotta go. I'll see you later. I love you Stiles."_

"I love you too, dad."

He went back to the living room and passed Jeremy back his phone. 

"Everything okay?" Jeremy asked as he accepted it. 

"Yeah..." Stiles replied with a shrug. "Dad's letting the department know today...soon I'll have to let strange faces come up to me and tell me how sorry they are without actually being sorry." 

"Elena had me prepare three different responses for that. One for friends and family, another for acquaintances, and another for strangers. You can borrow the ones I used if you want."

"That's actually a pretty good idea. I mean, _Elena_ came up with them right?" Stiles asked, voice lightly teasing.

Jeremy balled up a piece of paper from his notepad and threw it at Stiles, "Jerk"

"Seriously though...thanks. For everything. Had you not taken me with you that day...I honestly have no idea what state I'd be in." Stiles said.

"What state are you now?" Jeremy asked.

Stiles shrugged. "I'm...hurt. Still hurting. That's not going to go away. But...I feel much less suffocated than I did when I first lost her. Before the only places I had were my house and the Hale's. Everyone over there has their own thing going on and I honestly don't want to be smothered right now. And the house just...I can't be there sometimes, knowing she's not coming back..."

That sat in silence for some time. Stiles liked this about Jeremy. When they had nothing to say they could just sit there quietly. He feels that when word gets out he's going to be around people who will try to find words to give him. Or make him speak when he has nothing to say. 

It was also easier when they were just teenage boys who had a gaming system to keep them entertained. 

* * *

 

"So...Caroline called me all freaked out about you corrupting another sheriff's kid." Stefan said in greeting as he entered the boarding house.

"Caroline is a drama queen, Stef." Damon drawled as he sipped from his bourbon. He was sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace reading through some of the books Stiles retrieved for him. 

"Yeah, but it's not unfounded, is it? What is that?" Stefan asked as he pointed to the book in Damon's lap. 

"An old witch's spell book." Damon replied but didn't give anything more than that. 

"And you're reading one _because_....?" Stefan prompted. 

"My god you're nosy." Damon rolled his eyes. "If you really must know it's a small but crucial part of my next diabolical scheme."

Stefan sighed and rubbed his face tiredly. "Does this involve any innocent lives?"

"No." Damon said with fake innocence. When Stefan gave him a bland look, Damon sighed. "Don't fret your hero hair baby bro. No humans will be harmed in the making of this plot. I just need...a Spark."

"A spark? Never took arson as your thing." Stefan deadpanned.

"Get with the times Stefan. Witches are so last year. Spark's are where it's at."

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asked in confusion.

Damon stood up and tucked the book under his arm, "That's for me to know and for you to dot dot dot..."

* * *

 

Derek bolted out of his seat as soon as the bell rang. It was third period and still no sign of Stiles. He was going insane not knowing if Stiles was alright or not. 

"Derek!"

The werewolf looked over when he heard his name being called. Paige came up to him with a smile and a blush and then it all came crashing back to him. The jealousy he felt when he thought of Stiles and Paige together, then the anger, then wolfing out. 

He shook his thoughts away and then asked, "Have you seen Stiles today?"

"Huh? No...why? Did you talk to him? Did something happen? Is he okay?" Paige asked, worry seeping into her voice. 

"Uh..." Derek thought about what to say.

_"Is that Stilinski?"_

_"I dunno....looks like it?"_

_"But who is he with?"_

_"I don't know but he's hot."_

"Derek?"

"Huh?" Derek snapped out of it and turned back to Paige who was looking at him questionably. 

"I asked if Stiles is okay!"

"Uh...I...I gotta go." Derek said as he sprinted off. 

"Derek!" Paige called out to him. 

Never in his high school life did he think he'd ever be running away from Paige. But this was more important. This was _Stiles_. 

* * *

 

Stiles debated on whether or not going to school the next day. Then Jeremy said he had to go because he couldn't risk missing any more days or he may be flunked out. When Stiles went to get his Jeep, he realized it was out of gas because of that trip he took while under Damon's control. 

Damon, being the nice guy that he was, offered him a ride. Not only that, but offered Stiles a change of clothes while he stayed at the boarding house since his were tattered and torn from their misadventure. The jeans were a bit big on him and he had to wear a belt to keep them from going down. But the shirt fit nicely. It was one of Damon's white John Varvatos v-necks. Damon may be a dick, but he was a dick with taste. 

So when he arrived to school the next day it wasn't in his usual blue Jeep, but in Damon's 1969 Chevy Camaro Convertible. Both the car and the driver gained him a few stares. Damon being the annoying dick that he was, winked at Stiles and loudly enough to be heard by some, said, "I'll pick you up after school, babe!" before driving off.

Stiles rolled his eyes as he went inside. He sat through one class trying his best to concentrate, but he easily wondered off. He ran his hand through his hair and that's when he noticed it was getting kind of long. 

Before he knew it the bell rang and it was lunch time. 

He ignored any hushed whispers that were said as he passed by. He ignored looking when he heard his name from different mouths. He grabbed his lunch tray and found an empty table and prayed to whatever deity was listening that he could survive this one period. 

"Stiles!"

Stiles shut his eyes and lowered his head. Why did the universe hate him?

He opened his eyes and glared at Derek. "What do you want Hale?"

It was cold, sharp, and held a tinge of hatred. 

Derek's eyes widened in shock and hurt. Stiles thought it'd make him happy to see Derek distraught over their fight, but it didn't bring him any joy. Just made him feel guilty. Causing pain didn't make the pain he had go away.

"I uh..." Derek didn't find the words he wanted to say. Especially not when more than half the room was now looking at them. 

Derek seemed to be saved from his lack of speaking abilities because suddenly there was whispers and sounds of awe. Wolf whistles then followed and when Stiles looked up and towards the door his eyes widened.

Erica was strutting over to his table, but it was an Erica he's never seen before. Mini skirt and leather jacket plus cheetah print high heels and a devilish smirk in bright red lipstick. 

Once she reached him she leaned on the table before sliding over to fall on his lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck and grinned at him, "Hey there Batman. You wouldn't be in need of a Catwoman, would you?" Before Stiles could answer, she stood up and pulled him along with her. Stiles didn't fight it. Partly because he was confused, partly because he didn't want to be around Derek.

"What...the... _actual_...hell?" Lydia's voice broke through the silence of the lunchroom. 

Derek stood there frozen, watching as his sister's first wolf _stole_ Stiles away! From right under his nose!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do have a bit of a plot cooking up...most of this fic will center around the TW people mostly.Stiles mainly. Help pushing the plot along from the TVD characters, yes. But as you can see I'm calling in different characters with certain traits.
> 
> Elena, Caroline, Matt, Jeremy are human, but know about the supernatural. Jenna is alive and she and Alaric are a thing.  
> I was asked for Daremy so that's gonna happen here, because why not? Damon "flirting" with Stiles will just be to riles Derek up because I like it. 
> 
> Stiles still has to get his skateboard and it should be soon.
> 
> I'm writing these updates instead of sleeping so excuse any obvious mistakes. I'll read over it later. Any specific questions you may want cleared up, feel free to ask. Other than that, I ask you leave a comment if you have the time. They motivate me to update faster.


	5. Chapter 5

"So?" Erica asked as she twirled with a grace she didn't have before. When she did a full circle she froze in a supermodel pose. Her right arm raised above her head and the other on her hip, her legs in a four formation for half a minute. She winked as she asked. "How do I look?"

"Hot. _Really_ hot." Stiles answered honestly. 

After Erica dragged Stiles out of the lunch room, they slipped into the next empty classroom. Which Erica seemed to know which one was without checking them first. Stiles had a high suspicious about what had happened, but he knew it wasn't his place to ask those sort of questions. If and when Erica was ready to tell him, it was her choice. 

That or when he was ready to face the pack again, they'd probably bump into each other at the Hale house. 

Speaking of Hales...

"Thanks for the save by the way." Stiles thanked her sincerely.

"What _was_ the deal with Derek anyway?" Erica asked as she plopped into the chair next to Stiles's. 

Stiles sighed and shook his head. "It's a long story."

"Well, with the way you keep eying the doors and windows, I have a feeling you're not really itching to head to Harris's class. How about you tell me this 'long story' over a burger?"

"I don't have my Jeep with me..."

Erica smirked devilishly at him, "Oh, don't worry. Leave that to me."

* * *

 

"This is Jackson's car." Stiles stated as he met up with Erica in the parking lot.

She told him to wait for her by the entrance while she got a car. Stiles assumed that Laura or one of the other wolves would have let her borrow on. Erica may be mega hot now, but Stiles was positive she wasn't one Jackson's radar. Especially not if she posed a threat to Lydia and her Queen Bee status. Popular kids were weird like that. That and Jackson has always been an over grown five year old who never left the 'mine' stage. No way would he let anyone borrow his fancy shmancy car. 

"Yeah, it is. I figured we'd borrow it and give it back...you know, if we felt like it. The condition of the car when that happens? Who knows? Now come on, get in!" Erica urged as she revved the engine. 

Stiles looked around before shrugging and getting in. 

He wanted away and he wanted away fast. What was faster than a sleek sports car?

"You know he'll probably kill us. Or at least file a lawsuit." Stiles said.

"Probably." Erica replied, not seeming bothered at all. 

Stiles played with the radio while Erica drove like a mad woman, breaking at least ten different traffic laws, and decided where they would eat. 

* * *

 

"Once upon a time...and now you continue." Erica smiled into her burger while she prompted Stiles to tell his tale. 

They found a local burger joint that didn't care that it was mid-day and they weren't in school. They also left Jackson's car parked a few blocks away, neither of them really caring about it once they locked it with the keys inside. 

Stiles finished the bite that was in his mouth and then took a sip of his drink before adding to Erica's story telling trope. "Once upon a time a very long time ago, the Hales and Stilinski's met and formed a bond of friendship that evolved into that of a family. It was nice and sweet and everything a childhood memory could be. And then everything changed when puberty strikes and it's time for high school."

"Whoa...that much of a bitch?" Erica asked as she dipped her fries into her ketchup. 

Stiles nodded. 

"What about Derek? He seemed...overly spazzed out and guilty like." 

"He...he and I were close. Unlike Laura he didn't get the knack she did for teaching. Never had the patience for it really. When Cora or Scott needed help learning something, he would get easily frustrated with them. Me? Well...I always knew what I needed to know. Anything he got to teach me he loved. Like basketball. He _loved_ to go on and on about that. I always thought he was so cool. I was a total dork and I idolized him. I mean, how couldn't I? He was _Derek Hale_!"

"So what changed?" Erica asked with a raised perfect eyebrow.

"My mom died..." Stiles voice was void and cold, distant. 

Whatever fierceness and confidence Erica had earlier, faltered for a bit and once again it was the same girl who was thankful for what he did to the kid with the video. "I'm sorry, Stiles. I didn't know."

"My dad's barely letting the department know. We've been trying to keep it on the DL cos...well, neither of us are feeling particularly cheery or up for company. But cat's outta the bag." Stiles said.

"When did it happen?"

"Tuesday. I was there. It might be cliche but...when she died, part of me died with her. I'm not the same kid I was. I _can't_ be. I have to be stronger now. For my dad."

"No more time to looking up to heroes, you gotta be one, huh Batman?" She asked gently. 

Stiles chuckled, "Yeah...I guess that's what happened." 

* * *

 

"Pot, sex, and now ditching? I'm torn between being impressed by the Lil Gilbert's bad influence and being pissed by how naughty he's made you."

Stiles turned around when he heard the voice. There was no blue Chevy Camaro Convertible in sight, but it was hard to miss the sexy, dark, and mysterious smirking Damon leaning against a tree. It almost looked like he's been waiting for Stiles. The teen looked around to locate Erica but she was still on the end of the block on her phone. She'd gotten a call and excused herself. If Stiles was right, then it was most likely Erica's Alpha checking in on her. 

Turning back to Damon, Stiles asked. "How'd you find me?"

"I compelled some poor idiot to sell their soul to a demon witch who used a locater spell to find you." Damon replied with a shrug.

Stiles's eyes widened in shock and Damon smirked wider.

"I'm kidding, Jailbait. I mean, who does locater spells these days anyway? It's the 21st century and your phone comes equipped with a handy dandy GPS feature."

"You hacked my phone's GPS?" Stiles demanded as he fished out his phone. 

"It wasn't hard. Been around a long time, picked up a trick or two." Damon replied nonchalantly. 

Stiles sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "What do you want, Damon?"

"I went to drop off your Jeep at school, but I didn't find you there. I was worried about my darling lil, over emotional Jailbait and decided to make sure you were alright." Damon said with very carefully hidden sarcasm. Stiles was impressed with it's subtly. 

Still, he rolled his eyes, "I'm just going through a grieving process. Skipping school isn't abnormal."

"Yeah, but this town is. You really shouldn't be by yourself." Damon said far too seriously. 

That caught Stiles's attention and he narrowed his eyes at the vampire. "What does that mean?"

"It's like I told you when we were collecting Emily Bennet's diary...I need your help. And therefore I need you alive. Your knowledge about what actually happens in this town is an asset, but it's also a liability." Damon said cryptically. 

Stiles rolled his eyes and turned around, "Look, when you want to give me straight answers I guess you know how to find me."

"Stiles-"

_**BANG**_!

Stiles spun towards the sound of the gunshot and saw a block away as some men tazered Erica and then shoved her into a trunk of a car. 

"ERICA!" Stiles yelled and began to run after her.

"STILES!" Damon cried, running after him. 

No matter how fast Stiles ran, by the time he reached the block's end, the car that Erica was in was gone, it'd sped away. Stiles turned to Damon in a panic, "We have to find her!"

"What? No way." Damon said with a frown. 

"She's in danger!"

"I _know_! If you know about vampires and werewolves, then you know about hunters. It comes with the territory. I need you alive. Having you around hunters lowers the chances of you remaining alive." Damon stressed. 

Stiles glared at him. "You want my help? Help me find her! Or I'm going alone."

Damon and Stiles had a glare off before Damon cursed under his breath but gave in. He grabbed Stiles hand and pulled him towards someone who was getting out of their car. Damon stopped them in their tracks and compelled them to hand over the car. Stiles jumped into the passenger seat while Damon got behind the wheel and sped off in the direction Erica's nappers went. As he drove he laid out some ground rules for Stiles. 

"You're going to do everything I say. If I say hide, you better be better than Waldo. I say run, you pull a damn Speedy Gonzales and be half way to Mystic County, understand?"

"Yeah, yeah." Stiles replied, not really paying attention as he strained his eyes to see if he could spot the hunter's car. 

"Stiles, I'm serious. If you don't do what I say I swear I'll carry you away, kicking and screaming. I may not seem like I'm hopped off on steroids like some werewolves, but I _am_ a supernatural creature with super human strength." Damon warned.

"Okay! I'll do whatever you say! Just... _go faster_!" Stiles demanded.

Damon pressed on the accelerator. 

* * *

 

"Was...was that really necessary?" Stiles asked in disgust as the hunter's head rolled in front of him. 

Damon wiped at his mouth with his sleeve and shrugged. "Look, you want to save your friend and keep the hunters from going to war with the wolves right?" Stiles gave a weak nod. "Then we have to make it obvious that wolves weren't behind these kills."

"Aren't you afraid they'll know it's you and come after you and your brother?"

"Stef's a big boy. He knows how to look after himself. Plus he's really boring and insanely good at that keeping a low profile thing. Me?" Damon shrugged as he picked up a crossbow and smirked at Stiles. "I've never been one to make friends anyway. Or haven't you noticed how much of a dick I am?" 

"Still..."

Damon sighed. "Stiles, these guys didn't hesitate to kidnap your friend _just_ for being a wolf. I can assure you they have a long ass list of innocent wolves and other supernatural creatures they've killed in some demented, twisted sense of heroism they've deluded themselves to believe in. Unlike them I'm not misguided or deluded. I know what I am and who I am. I'm a monster and killing them isn't going to affect my sleep at all. Now, shall we save your friend or what?"

Damon held out the crossbow for Stiles to take. 

Stiles hesitated before taking the crossbow with a face of determination. 

They followed the trail as far as they could. Eventually Damon pulled over and told Stiles to get out of the car. He's been around long enough to have a good idea of where they would have taken Erica. Creepily enough they ended up in the woods. From what Damon told him there used to be an old house that once served as a Hunter recruitment center. Officially, the house was abandoned. But Damon made a good point to point out that it would be a perfect place to host more nefarious events.  

Waiting for them to break up into smaller groups and scout the place entirely took some time. Damon didn't want to chance leaving Stiles alone, so he didn't go off and use his vampire speed. By the time Damon could go and take out the guards one by one, the sun was already setting. 

They were now much closer to the abandoned house. Stiles kept trying to get a glimpse inside but no dice. 

"Okay...there are a few more guards near the door. I'm going to take care of them and then we should be able to get inside. Wait here." Damon instructed. 

Before Stiles could even protest, Damon was gone in a blur. He strained his ears to hear anything he could, but other than an owl and crickets and frogs, there wasn't much around them. Stiles heard the hum and whining of a tractor or some other type of machine in the distance. Then he remembered the area and he thought that maybe the Beacon Hill cemetery was close by. 'Great' Stiles thought darkly. 'Spooky house near a graveyard that could be used to hide any bodies or remains.' 

He didn't get to continue that thought because Damon was in front of him again. Bloodied around his mouth, shirt, and sleeves. Stiles wasn't going to ask. 

The door was left ajar and Stiles opened it and let out a sigh of relief when it didn't creek too loudly. Stepping inside for him was a piece of cake. For Damon though?

"You gotta be kidding me..." he bemoaned. 

Damon slammed his fist in the doorway and hit an invisible barrier. 

"What's the matter?" Stiles asked.

"The house belongs to someone who is still _alive_...I can't get in. Damn it. Come on, we'll have to go for back up." Damon growled. 

" _What_? No! Erica doesn't have that kind of time!"

"Stiles! That house is full of fully trained, lethal hunters! You can't save her alone. I can't get in. Now get out here and let's go for back up!" Damon demanded. 

Stiles's mouth thinned out and he was about to argue when he heard Erica scream. Stiles turned around and ran deeper into the house, trying to find the source of the screams. 

" _Stiles_!" Damon hissed angrily. 

When Stiles didn't turn back, Damon punched the brick wall next to him. He tried to think of something, _anything_! As he strained his ears, he too heard the machinery somewhere in the distance. This time he used his vampire speed to it's full force and found whoever was controlling that machine and compelled them to comply. 

* * *

 

While Stiles did his best to quietly find Erica, Damon was making a ruckus outside. Hunters from all over the house kept running outside to see what was going on. It really helped Stiles not have to deal with a lot of them at once. He _did_ have to shoot a guy in the leg, but he lived. Stiles just knocked him unconscious to be sure he wouldn't be followed. But soon enough he found Erica. She was chained up and badly hurt, but alive. He focused on that part and did his best to free her. But with no keys in sight and the locks being a bit more complicated than the standard kind, it took longer than he anticipated. 

While he worked on the last lock, Erica managed to find enough strength to let out a loud howl that echoed through the forest. He just got the last lock unlocked, Erica falling into his arms, when he heard the cocking of a gun. He slowly turned, Erica still in his hold, as he stared down the barrel of a gun. 

_**THWACK**_!

The hunter fell to his knees, and then the rest of him fell to the floor, unconscious. Stiles stared in shock as Isaac lowered the crowbar. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" Stiles demanded.

"Helping you get out alive..." Isaac replied slowly, as if in a dream like state. 

"Wha- _Damon_." Stiles cursed under his breath. Damon went to the cemetery where Isaac was apparently working and compelled him to come help Stiles. He'll deal with that later. Right now getting Erica out was what was important. "We have to get her out of here."

_**BANG**_!

**_BANG BANG BANG!_ **

Stiles watched in horror as the red dots appeared on Isaac's body and darkened his clothes as they grew. Erica stood on wobbly legs as Stiles let her go and he rushed forward to catch Isaac while yelling, "NOOOOOOO!" 

The hunter was about to fire again, but Erica acted fast and picked up a fallen piece of wood and threw it as hard as she could. Even in her weak state, the piece of wood pierced the hunter's shoulder and caused him to drop his gun. 

"Isaac! No, no, no, no! Please! Hang on! _DAMON_!" Stiles yelled in panic as he clung on to Isaac's body. 

"ERICA!" 

"LAURA!" Erica cried in relied as she heard her Alpha. "Down here!"

"STILES?!" Laura cried as she entered the room and eyes landed on the teen. 

Stiles stared up at the older werewolf and an idea struck him, "Bite him!"

" _What_?" 

"Laura he's going to die! Please! Save him!" Stiles begged. 

Laura looked between her battered Beta, to the frightened and distraught Stiles, to the injured and dying blond. Instinct took over and she knelt next to Stiles and Isaac and picked up the blond's wrist. Taking a deep breath, Laura flashed her eyes and expanded her teeth and sunk them into Isaac's skin. 

* * *

 

"Is he gonna be okay?" Stiles asked as Isaac stirred in his sleep.

"The bite took. It healed the worst of it. He just needs rest." Talia said as she watched Erica and Laura care for their new pack-mate. She stood with Stiles in the doorway for a minute before she nudged him downstairs. 

"Stiles..." Derek breathed out his name like a prayer from the bottom of the stairs. 

Stiles dutifully ignored him and headed towards the door. "I'll be back to check in on him later. I gotta go."

"You can wait here." Talia offered and sent Derek a strict look when he opened his mouth to say something. It was obvious that it wasn't welcomed. 

"Thanks but...I just don't want to." Stiles replied brutally honestly. He figured there was no point in lying in front of werewolves. 

"Let me give you a ride at least." Derek said quickly. 

Stiles opened the door and was pleased to see Damon in his Camaro waiting on the far end of the drive way. He turned around and smirked coldly at Derek, "Got it covered." 

Talia and Derek watched as Stiles got into the blue car and sped off with the dark and mysterious stranger. Derek growled and flashed his eyes until they were out of sight. 

"Derek, you aren't to follow." Talia ordered.

" _What_?" Derek demanded. 

"We have more pressing matters to deal with." Talia said coolly as she headed back upstairs. 

Derek followed, furrowing his brow in anger and confusion. "What's more pressing than Stiles?"

"Hunters kidnapped our new wolf. They had no right, but they had intent to kill. Though it wasn't a wolf who killed those hunters, they _were_ killed by something. The hunters won't let that sly." Talia said seriously. 

Derek frowned deeply. He looked back towards the door and wanted nothing more than to head after Stiles and tear him away from whoever the hell that was. But his mother was right. Not only had Erica been taken, but she'd been with Stiles while it happened. Though Stiles was human, he did have affiliation with them. Stiles could be in danger. "What are we going to do?"

"Erica will tell us all that happened. Then we'll have a meeting as a family, and go from there. While I talk with your sister, go and fetch your father. He's at the hospital with Melissa. Bring her as well. Take Peter with you. No one goes alone." Talia ordered.

Derek wanted to argue that Stiles was alone, but held his tongue. 

As much and he didn't want to hang out with Peter right now, the two put aside their current differences and followed his mother's orders. 

* * *

 

"I know I ordered you to keep Elena and Jeremy out of your schemes, but that didn't mean you go after another teen to do your bidding." Alaric said in greeting as Damon entered the Salvatore boarding house.

Damon ignored him in favor of heading to the bar first. After he had a glass of his favorite Bourbon, he turned to his best friend. "I need a favor."

"You're not even going to try to deny it?" Alaric stated more than asked, a little exasperated. 

"Gee, when did Stefan's paranoia possess you, do you need me to get a priest?"

Alaric sighed, "Fine...what do you want?"

"Transfer to Beacon High and keep an eye on Stiles Stilinski." Damon said seriously.

"You...you realize it's not that easy, right?"

"It is when I can control the minds of the feeble staff of incompetent administrators." Damon replied cheekily. 

Alaric rubbed his face tiredly, " _Why_?"

"Just do it." At Alaric's unimpressed look, Damon rolled his eyes. "With everyone so worried about my plans with Stiles, they'll rest easier having you at his school keeping an eye on him. So just _do_ it."

Ric sighed deeply. "Fine."

"Great! And make sure you take the usual with you. Pens, highlighters, binders, crossbow, arrows, tazers. You know, the works." Damon answered with that shit eating grin of his that had Alaric regretting befriending the vampire.


	6. Chapter 6

"What are you working on?" Jeremy asked as he came into the Boarding House and spotted Stiles on the couch with a drawing notebook. 

Stiles looked up and passed the notepad over so Jeremy could see. "I want to get a tattoo of a hummingbird. I was thinking in tribal style...working on a few designs."

While Jeremy inspected the drawings, flipping back and forth between the pages since Stiles had different sketches, Stiles tended to the fire. Stiles felt weird being in the Gilbert home without Jeremy there, so when Jeremy was busy Stiles needed to find somewhere else to hang out. Now that more people were aware of their situation, Stiles didn't feel like being home to answer doors and listen to people's condolences. Hell, he couldn't even be at home that much anyway because it was still too painful to be there without his mom. The Hale house or the McCall house were out too. Stiles didn't hold anything against them...even the anger he had towards Derek was fading. But he still felt so damn lost. Like he was just drifting from place to place without reason or cause. Everything seemed fleeting. Which was why he was thinking about the tattoo. 

Something permanent to help him feel grounded. Because as he said, even the anger he had towards Derek was fading and the numbing feeling he was left with was staggering. 

The Salvatore Boarding House just so happen to turn into his favorite getaway place. Even though he and everyone else from Mystic County was sure that Damon was up to something. What? No one knew. But Stiles wouldn't question it right now. He was still a little pissed that Damon had put Isaac in danger like that, but he focused on the part where Isaac lived. Damon did offer him a room there as an 'apology', so he got his hide-away. 

The Boarding House was huge. So many rooms, ancient books and records, art, and of course...the Salvatore's bar. He wasn't much of a drinker, but he and Jeremy shared a few drinks from some really expensive whiskey just to try it. 

Stiles had actually been enjoying some while he drew. A lot of the rejects fell into the fire he started in the fireplace.

"These are pretty good. Why a hummingbird though?" Jeremy asked as he passed the notepad back.

"My mother used to call me her hummingbird. I was small, but fast. Though hummingbirds were much more graceful...it was her thing to call me, ya know? And she would tell me old Native American stories about them." Stiles explained.

"Hence, the tribal design?" Jeremy asked.

Stiles nodded. "Nowhere near done deciding on the final design...but hey, progress." 

"If you need any help, let me know, okay?" Jeremy offered. 

Stiles has seen some of Jeremy's art work. He was amazing at it. 

"What are your plans for tonight?" Stiles asked.

"Matt pulled a few favors and has me working at the Grill now. I've got a shift there in half an hour. What about you?" Jeremy asked in turn.

Stiles sighed, "As much as I want to avoid the Hales right now, I can't. I want to check up on Erica and Isaac."

Jeremy nodded. Since he knew about the supernatural, they discussed everything he remembered doing with Damon. Stiles also got to hang out more with Caroline and Tyler and met Damon's brother, Stefan. Stefan and Damon were very different, but there were some actions that Stiles saw perfectly how they were related. It was subtle, but it was there. 

"You know they're gonna ask you about Damon. What are you going to tell them?" Jeremy asked. 

"Enough." Stiles replied.

* * *

 

Stiles barely stepped onto the doorstep as the door opened and he was pulled into a tight embrace by Isaac. He was a bit shocked at first, but once he realized who it was Stiles returned the hug. 

When they pulled away, Isaac tried inspecting him further. He cupped his face and turned it left and right, and frowned. "You're okay."

"Yeah...it's a long story. But it can wait. How are you doing?" he asked as he took his turn to inspect Isaac. 

The blond's eyes flashed gold in response and he grinned a bit. "It was...a lot." Isaac shrugged a bit and then pulled Stiles inside, "But after the panic and a bit of wolfing out I got some of the better intro. It's not so bad..."

"Still confusing though, huh?" Stiles inquired.

"That's because his control is still pretty much nilch. His senses come and go at random times. It can be pretty disorienting." Laura said as she came into the room. 

Her hands were behind her back, and it was a trait Stiles recognized. It was what she did to help her remain still and in place when all she wanted to do was jump or lunge at something. Stiles guessed by her sheepish smile she was giving him, he was the thing she wanted to lunge at. 

Erica though, didn't have that same control. She came from behind Laura and actually _did_ lunge at Stiles and Stiles hugged her back tightly. 

"How are you Catwoman?" he asked with concern.

"You can't keep me down, Batman." she replied with a small smile. Then she kissed his cheek and let  him go. "Laura and Talia helped heal the worst of it...but I'd be dead if it weren't for you. So thank you."

"We'd both be dead if it weren't for Isaac, so I hope you thanked him too." Stiles replied as he gave the blond another smile. Isaac smiled brightly at Stiles and Stiles couldn't help but compare him to an actual puppy. 

"Stiles..." 

Stiles looked over and saw Derek there. He was smiling at Stiles but then frowned and glared at chest. At first Stiles raised an eyebrow, but then he remembered he was wearing Damon's clothes. Everyone turned to match where Derek was looking and Stiles squirmed in their attention. It wasn't intentional that he was wearing Damon's clothes again. Out of everything that Stiles was avoiding, his place was probably on top of the list, along with the hospital and Derek for previous interactions. He hasn't had time to go and get some clothes and it was just easier to raid Damon's closet. The vampire didn't mind and it apparently wasn't that strange. 

"Where have you been staying?" Peter asked as he made his way towards the group.

"With friends." Stiles replied. 

"Hmm...that tall, dark, and stranger with the nice car seemed a bit more than a friend. You are wearing his clothes." Peter drawled. Both Laura and Derek glared at him, Derek's eyes flashing.

"I've been staying with friends, as I've said but I didn't take any of my clothes with me. It was...out of the blue." Stiles answered.

"You could stay with us. I'm sure we've have enough of your own clothes around here somewhere," Laura said.

Stiles took in a deep breath and looked at his feet. He tried to keep his breathing steady but his heart was starting to beat faster by the second.

"Enough. So long as where you're staying is safe, that's all that matters." Talia said as she came into view with Mr. Hale, Melissa, Cora, Scott, and the other Hales behind her.

Scott immediately ran to Stiles and hugged the hell out of him. Stiles froze for a second but returned the hug. Before Scott could speak, Talia spoke again. "Erica's told us what happened. But we'd like to hear things from your point of view. If you please?" She asked and they all moved to the dining room. 

The table at the Hale house has always been long. For the family that was ever growing, and for any visitors they may be hosting. Everyone took a seat, Stiles took the one he usual sits in, even if it meant sitting between Derek and Peter and across from Scott. Though that might have been a blessing. Scott's puppy eyes and innocent smile may give him the strength to get through this.

Once everyone was settled, Stiles took a deep breath and retold the story.

"I wasn't really feeling like being in school. Being there while having to pretend like everything was alright was hard enough. Being there with people knowing and word possibly spreading...I don't think I could handle it. It's like...saying it out loud. Like a confession. And I wasn't ready...I'm still not really ready, to deal with the verdict." Stiles let out a shaky breath before continuing. "Erica offered to hang out with me and not be at school. I accepted it without much thought. I was going to leave anyway..." he spared Derek a quick glance before looking forward again. Not really looking at Scott even if he was facing that direction. "We went and got something to eat...Erica got a call from who I assume was Laura?" He glanced towards the younger She-Wolf Alpha who nodded.

"Erica hadn't told me she was a wolf. I don't think she knew I knew...I didn't say anything. I would wait until she felt comfortable or I somehow found myself visiting again. Either way, I gave her some space. Then I heard a gun shot. I looked towards where Erica was and she was being shoved into the trunk of a car. My... _friend_ , and I followed. He wanted to wait for back up cos there were too many hunters. But I didn't want to leave Erica at their mercy, or lack there of."  
  
"Thank you." Erica said to him. He nodded towards her.  
  
"I snuck in while he went out for help....I don't know what happened next. I was helping Erica out...a hunter blocked our path. Isaac knocked him out after showing up out of nowhere...then he got shot and Laura appeared and you know the rest." Stiles rushed the story and crossed his arms over his chest. He tried to make himself small and invisible. He felt like he needed to guard himself. He was debating coming here in the first place, feeling like it was a mistake. He needed to leave.

And so he stood up.

"Stiles?" Derek asked at the same time Isaac, Peter, and Talia did.

"I need to go..." he said plainly. 

Plenty tried to stop him vocally and he was glad no one tried to do it physically. He was sure he'd react horribly if they'd tried. 

He stormed out of the door and headed for his Jeep. 

* * *

 

 _"Whatever you're doing tonight, cancel."_ Vicki said over the phone.

"Oh? And why should I cancel doing nothing this evening?" Stiles asked monotoned. He felt numb again. It seemed this was his defense mechanism when he wasn't lashing out violently. To be clawed at on the inside by plaguing numbness. 

_"There's a party going down at the Grill after hours. I need my party buddy!"_

"I dunno Vic...I don't think I'd make good company for anything dull, let alone a party."

_"You're feeling down, this is the exact reason **why** you need to come! Come on, it'll be fun!"_

Stiles sighed, "What time do I pick you up?"

Vicki squealed in happiness on the other side before telling him to pick her up at home at eight. 

* * *

 

"Can you believe Reyes the other day?" Lydia asked Allison and Paige during their 'study' session. 

"I don't know what she did but she did something." Allison said in an agreeing tone to a silent statement Lydia was suggesting. 

"Out of all the people she could have chosen to... _abduct_ , I don't see why it had to be Stiles!" Paige cried out.

Lydia and Allison shared a look between the two of them before giving Paige a demanding look. 

"So, what _is_ the deal with you and Stiles?" Lydia demanded. 

"Yeah, I thought you had a thing for Derek?" Allison tried being more...nice about their 'interrogation'.

Paige blushed and then coughed into her hand. "Derek...he...he would try to talk to me. But...there was little we had in common. He's a jock and I'm a music nerd."

"A cute music nerd." Lydia corrected with a smirk. 

Paige blushed darker but trudged on. "Anyway, my friend took me to that Lockwood party..." Paige looked down for a bit. She wasn't sure exactly what happened but there was bad blood between Tyler Lockwood and Jackson Whittemore. With Lydia being Jackson's girlfriend, she's never been to what is rivaling some of her own, best parties ever. "I didn't really know anyone since it was mostly Mystic County kids. They were all drunk or high or both. I...I went to escape and I stumbled into Stiles. And...I just can't believe I never noticed him before. He was so..." she let out a deep dreamy sigh. 

"Wow?" Allison suggested, then giggled. 

Paige giggled too and nodded. "He talked about music the way I never thought of before...we listened while watching the Lockwood gardens. It was...it was really romantic." she sighed dreamily again.

"Did anything happen?" Lydia wanted to know.

"We almost kissed." Paige said.

Lydia and Allison pressed forward, wanting to know more, "And?" they both pressed. 

"And he didn't want to, but he did. I _felt_ it! But he and Derek knew each other and he felt he couldn't..." Paige pouted.

"Bro-Code...It sucks, but it is admirable." Allison said.

Lydia rolled her eyes, "Bro-Code, Shmo-Code. When you want someone, you should be allowed to have them."

"Well I tried, but then someone came in looking for him. Apparently whoever he went to the party with needed to go home and...he left." Paige shrugged, trying to seem unbothered by it, but it was clear that she was. She also decided to keep to herself that Stiles got her to smoke. She wasn't embarrassed about it or worried they'd think wrong of her. It was just...the way it happened, it was special. She knew she could never escape Lydia and Allison's questioning, but she could keep some of the memory just for her. 

"He _is_ different though isn't he? But not like Reyes... His is a more subtle thing. And sexy." Lydia said with a smirk. One that Paige wasn't really that happy about. 

Allison's phone beeped. When she checked it she perked up, "Oh."

"Oh?" Lydia inquired.

"There's a party at the Grill tonight. Anyone's invited if you brings your own beer." Allison replied.

"I didn't think those kind of parties were your guy's thing." Paige commented.

"They're kinda not." Lydia said. 

"No, but I asked who from Beacon was going aaaaaand...Stiles's name popped up." 

This time Paige perked up in interest, Lydia too, but she was trying to be discreet about it. 

"Stiles is going? You sure?" Paige asked.

"Yeah. He's got his Jeep and is apparently driving a few people there..." Allison answered before looking between the two other girls. "So...are we...are we going?"

Lydia closed her book with emphasis, "I'm passing this class for this year _and_ the next. A could use a party break."

"I don't have anything to wear...or beer." Paige said awkwardly. 

"Honey, let me handle both." Lydia said with a devilish gleam. 

* * *

 

Stiles leaned against his Jeep, eyes closed as he enjoyed the inhale of smoke he just did. After a pause he let it out and tried his best to regain his composure. He didn't have any hash on him, but he managed to find a pack of cigarettes that Vicki left in his Jeep during one of their adventures. It was different and he wasn't sure if he really felt the effect, but the act of smoking alone gave him the sense of relaxing. 

"You _smoke_ now?"

Stiles looked over to see a slightly bewildered Derek gawking at him. Stiles sighed as he let the cigarette drop to the ground and he stomped it out. 

"What are you doing here, Derek?"

"I...I followed you." Derek admitted as he fidgeted in place. 

It was very odd to see Derek like that. For as long as Stiles has known Derek, the wolf has been the embodiment of confidence. The Alpha Male if Stiles has ever seen one. Now he was squirming in his place like a child that's being scolded by a parent. 

"Why?" Stiles drawled out. 

"I'm worried about you, okay?" Derek exclaimed as he threw his arms in the air. 

"You don't need to be. I'm fine." Stiles said as he turned towards his Jeep. 

He pulled the handle to open the door, but Derek pushed the door close. He was looming over Stiles, the human could feel Derek's wolf heat. Stiles didn't move and Derek spoke softly into his ear. "I _know_ you're not...You lost your mother. You're hurt. And you needed me and I failed you. I'm sorry, Stiles..."

There was a pause before Stiles sighed, but didn't turn to face Derek.

"I said I'm fine, Derek. I'm dealing with it."

"By smoking? By sleeping in stranger's houses?" Derek scoffed. 

"Yes!" Stiles shoved Derek aside enough to get into his Jeep and shut the door again. 

Derek knocked on the window, "Stiles, please! Just let me help!"

"I don't need help! And if I did, you weren't interested the first time, so why would I go to you again?" Stiles demanded angrily. 

Derek recoiled back and winced. He looked down in shame, "I was stupid. I know that, but I want to make it right. Please..."

"If you want to help me then let me come to you when I'm ready. I'm still kinda pissed how you blew me off, dude." Stiles's phone beeped and when he picked it up it was Jeremy. He wanted some help with setting up before the party. Turning to look at Derek, Stiles said, "Look, I gotta go."

"Please don't go!" Derek begged. 

"I have plans. It may be hard to believe, but I've got other friends now, Derek." Stiles started his Jeep and drove off. 

He knew Derek could follow him, and from what he's seen, probably would. He sighed again knowing that this party was not going to be as fun for him as it was going to be for Vicki...unless he followed Vicki's lead and just let loose. 

When he arrived at The Grill, he parked in the back. Stepping out of hi Jeep he saw some of the richer students from Mystic County bringing over some of the more expensive wine and beer. 

"Hey dude, thanks for coming early." Jeremy said as he greeted him. 

"Yeah, no problem man....hey, can I ask you something?" Stiles asked.

"Sure." 

"Uh...you think you can hook me up tonight?" Stiles asked. 

"Hook you up? You mean..." Jeremy made a 'blunt/smoking' motion. 

Stiles nodded, "And then some."

Jeremy raised an eyebrow, "What happened?"

"I...I just need help getting loose. It's a party, and unless I get some help I'm going to be a total kill joy." Stiles said. 

"Okay...I'll make a few calls. Invite a few stoners. They'll get you what you need." Jeremy said.

"Thanks man. Now, what can I do?"

Jeremy pulled him inside and together they helped the other employees lock up the merchandise. The Grill was being rented out as a party base. But because they knew a lot of high schoolers were going, they couldn't sell liquor themselves. That's why the invitation going around said that to gain entry you needed to pay a fee of ten bucks and bring your own beer, or something to contribute.

It was eight when Stiles excuse himself to go pick up Vicki and a few other people he sorta knew that needed a ride. At first he thought he was just seeing things, but after a while he could easily make out the black Camaro Laura had gotten for her birthday. Stiles wasn't sure if she was involved or not, but he wouldn't really put it past her to help Derek. Either way...looks like the Hales were crashing the party.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is enough of an AU that you really don't need to be a fan of either fandom. I mean, it obviously helps, but whether you're a TVD fan and don't watch TW or you're a TW fan and don't watch TVD...you should be able to follow the plot. I'm mostly just using the characters and locations. And hopefully I'm telling the story well enough that if you're only in one fandom, you're not completely lost. 
> 
> This does circle more around the TW characters story wise. All characters used are characters in either fandom that you can look up in their fandom Wiki. 
> 
> Um...my suggestion, so far I think everyone reading this is in the TW fandom, so.. you can just go to the Vampire Diaries Wiki and search the characters to see what they look like. 
> 
> Places you can look for to see what I'm talking about are:  
> The Mystic Grill  
> The Salvatore Boarding House  
> The Lockwood Mansion  
> The Gilbert House
> 
> All places Stiles has been and places that has information on it and pictures.


	7. Chapter 7

"Do you have something against staying alive?"

Stiles chugged the rest of the contents of his red solo cup before turning and looking at Damon. When his eyes landed on the dark, sexy, and mysterious vampire, he just smirked.  "I've got something against not feeling alive."

Damon rolled his eyes, "I hope no one's lied to you and told you your grieving process is original."

"What do you want Damon?" Stiles asked, tone exasperated. 

Damon looked around and strained his senses. He knew Stiles had helped out from the beginning to make this party happen. He also knew he had gone and come with Vicki and some others in need of a ride, causing Stiles to grow in popularity. It was so amusing to Damon to watch all of this. How many poor souls would go to such extant and feel damn euphoric at reaching the heights that Stiles has? The rate it's going, he wouldn't be surprised if Stiles is crowned king once prom comes along.

And yet...Stiles doesn't care for it. 

Obtaining the recognition and praise from those higher on the food chain don't fuel him. 

The experiences he's obtain...do. 

The party has gone full swing and is raging on. He saw Vicki dancing on top of a table when he came in, Mattie being the watchful guard dog brother he is, stood watch near her to catch her if she gets too drunk and to make sure no one touches her in the wrong way. Also keeping an eye out for the other girls in their group. Jeremy was helping run the show and was 'working' as a waiter, but Damon saw him chatting. He'd have to check in with that later. And he's sure he's seen more than one Hale out and about...The sensations of the party must be dulling their senses but he knew what they were after. Or rather who. 

"Right now?" Damon prompted, catching Stiles's eyes and smirking devilishly. "I want to remind you that I'm the fun brother...you want to party? Let's party."

"Seriously?" Stiles asked a bit incredulously but smirking lightly. Hoping for some fun. 

"Yes, Jailbait." Damon pulled Stiles by his belt loop until their chests were pressed together. He looked into Stiles's eyes and laid out his 'charm'. He leaned in close, so he murmured into Stiles's ear, "Right now you've been faced with death and you want to feel alive...you get that feeling by driving to the edge, but if you're not careful...it's oh so easy to fall off. So stay close, Jailbait...because I live on the edge. And if you want...that's where I can keep you." 

When he pulled back, Stiles was flushed and aroused as he looked into Damon's eyes and nodded. Not too sure as to what exactly he was agreeing to, but he was agreeing to it. 

* * *

 

"Tell me why we're not just blowing up the whole place? It's like a hive of monsters..." A woman's voice stated.

"Who are intermingled with plenty of humans." A man replied.

"And that matters _why_?" The woman demanded.

"Look, personally I wouldn't care for casualties but a lot of the Founding Heirs are in there at the moment as well as the youngest Argent daughter...as much as we'd be praised for wiping many monsters off in one blow, we would not survive if the Council or the Argents came after us...we must be patient." The man said.

"You know patience was never one of my virtues." The woman commented.

"Unless you wish to die, it'll have to be...Damon Salvatore is inside. For now, we observe. We act only when we're ready." 

* * *

 

"Oomph- I'm so sorr-Derek?" Paige exclaimed when she looked into who she bumped into. 

Derek turned to face the person whose called his name and he sees page with a few cups. "Kinda early to drink that much, no?"

"Wha-? Oh, no, these aren't all for me!" Paige stressed as she shook her head. "Lydia and Allison are at a table and I offered to go get us something to drink. I...I didn't know you'd be coming."

"Why wouldn't I? I love a good party." Derek replied with a shrug. Truth be told, he hated parties. He's acted like he liked them because of social standing, but the music was always too loud for his sense of hearing, the booze was always too strong smelling and so was the weed, and then there was the people who couldn't keep their stomachs...and it was a horrible experience for his nose. Which is why he mostly went to school dances. Music never got too loud, alcohol and marijuana weren't allowed, and it ended relatively early. The hierarchies of the school worked in an odd way. He was on equal popular grounds as Lydia or Jackson, but his family was private enough and involved in itself enough, that when he made an excuse that he couldn't make it somewhere, no one took it personally. It was just 'Oh he must be going to another Hale thing'. 

"Well, it's just that this is mostly a Lockwood party..." She trailed off. 

'Ah'. Derek thought. The rivalries between the Lockwoods and the Whittemores was more of a social and money thing. The thing between the Hales and the Lockwoods was a wolf thing, but only those who weren't human knew that. Others just thought a family feud was still going on strong between families even if the fight happened generations ago. 

"Um well, see the thing is-"

"You're here because of Stiles?" 

Derek didn't know how she knew that, but there was no sense of denying it. Not if she's seen him and could lead Derek to him. "Have you seen him?"

She shook her head and Derek deflated a bit.

"I'm worried about him..." She commented. 

"What? Why? Did something happen?" Derek asked, panicked. Had something else happened since the last time he's seen Stiles? Damn! He shouldn't have gone to pick up Peter to help him. It just gave him time to lose Stiles in this damned party.

"His mother died, Derek!" Paige exclaimed. 

'Oh, right...she's not family. Of course she wouldn't have heard earlier.' Derek wasn't sure why that made him happy but it did. In the last couple of days the jealousy he first had when thinking of Stiles and Paige together shifted. Now instead of feeling betrayed and jealous of Stiles being with Paige, the girl he's crushed over for a few months, it was the other way around. He was jealous that Paige would somehow become more important in Stiles's life than Derek, despite having known him longer. 

Paige continued as Derek paused, "He's probably in shock...this partying and drinking and smoking...what if he's drowning in his grief and is trying to use these things as an escape? It could escalate to something horrible...the poor thing, I just...I just want him to know he's not alone and well, it's going to be hard, but that's why I'm here. In case he needs someone, you know?"

"Why would he need you?" Derek asked before he could think better of it, but he didn't stop there. "He's got people already...he's got _me_!"

Paige furrowed her brows as she frowned, "Excuse me?"

"I know you tried to kiss him...but he didn't want to because he knew how much I liked you...you were really going to let him hurt me like that? Don't pretend to care for him when you're just...feeling pity!"

**_SLAP!_ **

"Well I hope you don't like me anymore."

Derek watched her go, holding his stinging cheek. He looked down at his bottom pants leg and sighed. When she slapped him, she let go of her drinks and they all splashed on the floor and wet his shoes and the bottom of his jeans. Great. Where's the damn bathroom?

Derek pushed passed the bodies of the other party patrons as he made his way towards the back. His socks were soaked and even if he couldn't get them cleaned, he wanted to wring them to make the 'squishing' stop. 

The sight that greeted him when he came to the back was _not_ what he needed right now. 

He'd found Stiles, but how he found him...well, it made him want to wolf out. 

" _Easy_..."

Derek turned to Peter, who had placed a hand on his arm to keep him grounded. Derek looked down at his hands and immediately closed them when he saw the claws. 

"Come on." Peter suggested. 

But Derek stayed put, "Hell no!"

"Derek, don't make a scene." Peter warned. 

"A scene? Peter, Stiles is _younger_ than me!" Derek exclaimed as he pointed to the table where plenty were around and doing body shots. 

Stiles himself was laying shirtless on the table, watching the bastard whose lent Stiles his clothes the past couple of days, drink the shot of vodka from Stiles's belly button and then lick the salt trail up Stiles's chest to suck on the lime between Stiles's lips. The lime easily fell and the two locked into a heated make out session.

Derek let out a growl and Peter had to dig his own claws into Derek's arm to keep him in control.

Before Peter could try once more to calm Derek and drag him away for a moment, Stiles's mysterious friend's face vamped out and his fangs descended and then he sank them into Stiles's neck.

No one seemed to really be shocked about the situation, so Derek and Peter didn't think to care when they wolfed out and attacked the man and pried him off of Stiles.

"What the hell?" Stiles demanded as he sat up straight.

But he was pulled into Derek's hold soon enough, "Don't worry Stiles, I got you."

Meanwhile Peter and Stiles's ' _friend'_  were wrestling, both of them...creatured-out. All those who were partying in the back just stood idly watching, spaced out, and it creeped Derek out. 

Stiles pushed himself away from Derek and then turned to Peter as he grabbed his shirt from the floor and tossed it on quickly and yelled at him to stop. "Stop! Peter, stop it! Let him go!"

Damon snarled as he took the advantage of Stiles distracting Peter enough and grabbing him by the throat and slamming him onto the table, causing it to break.

"Hey, what the hell is going on?" Tyler Lockwood came in, followed by Matt, Jeremy, and Stefan. Like always, Tyler looked pissed. More so when he saw Peter and Derek. "Who the hell let you in?"

"Oh shut it, Lockwood. We'll be gone. First we're here for our friend." Peter growled as he stood up from the table's wreckage.

"Matt, why don't you and Jeremy help me take these people outside for some air." Stefan said in a very diplomatic way.   

Derek saw Jeremy make eye contact with Stiles and Stiles nodded to him. Once Jeremy was satisfied with their silent conversation, he helped the blond guy lead the other humans away. 

"Stiles isn't yours to order around." Damon hissed.

"And he isn't your dinner!" Peter barked. 

Tyler turned to Damon, "Seriously dude? Here? At the party?"

"Is that all you care about? He was going to kill Stiles!" Derek cried.

"Oh you poor naive mutt. I've got better self control than your whole damn pack combined. I was just showing Stiles a good time, like he deserves." Damon said in his defense. "Besides...I _had_ Stiles's consent."  

Derek scoffed, "Yeah right. Like Stiles would-"

"Derek? Where _is_ Stiles?" Peter interrupted him to ask. 

"Huh?" Derek looked around, trying to locate Stiles, but he wasn't there. His eyes went to the vampire and demand answers but he saw him looking around frantically and as bewildered by Stiles's disappearance. 

* * *

Stiles stormed away from The Grill as fast as he could. He felt bad about ditching Vicki but knew Matt was there to take care of her. He'll just have to check in with her tomorrow. 

Ugh, he was getting such a headache, he may just ask her to meet her in the cemetery so they could get high. 

He stopped when he finally thought he'd made it far enough. He was so on edge, he needed something to help him. He patted his pockets and found the packet of cigarettes. Taking one out and placing it between his lips he looked for a light, but he couldn't find one. "Damn it..."

"Need a light?"

Stiles looked up at the voice. He eyed the blond woman up and down and nodded. "Yeah."

She smirked at him, in a way that was very predator like. Having been around plenty of predators, he knew that look perfectly. She lit his cigarette up and then reached into his pocket, taking her time and trying to cop a feel, and took out a smoke for herself. After lighting it, the two just smoked in silence. 

"How curious..." Stiles began.

"What is?" She asked. 

"I had cigarettes but no lighter. You have a lighter but no cigarettes." He stated calmly.

She smirked wider, "Life is funny like that."

"The question remains...am I the butt of the joke or the clever punch line?" Stiles asked. 

She laughed, "I like you."

"You don't know me." Stiles countered.

"You're right...but I want to. You're my type." She said.

"Young and a smoker? I'd suggest you'd reevaluate your interest. You're pretty enough to get just about anything you'd like, I'd imagine." Stiles commented.

"Well...I'd _like_ to get to know you." She said with a more...gentler grin. But Stiles...he wasn't sure _how_ , but he _knew_ it wasn't as sincere as she'd hope it'd be. But he couldn't place why. She extended her hand, "I'm Kate."

Stiles took her hand and shook it, "Stiles."

"Well Stiles...the night is young, and so are we. How about we go someplace...special?"

Stiles gave the direction of the Grill once quick look before turning to Kate and nodding, "Sure. I'm up for anything." 

 

 


End file.
